Residents of the small Oxfordshire village of Piddington are protesting plans to house 1,250 male asylum seekers at the nearby Bicester barracks, a development that would significantly outnumber the village's 350 inhabitants. The proposal has ignited anger among locals who feel ignored and fear for their safety.
Parish council chairman Tim McNally criticized the perceived lack of response from officials, stating, "The whole system is broken, and the politics of this country is broken as no one is representing us." In a symbolic act of protest, villagers have voted to hold a referendum on leaving the UK. "We are paying our money, we are paying taxes, but we aren't being represented," McNally added. Locals have voiced concerns that the area is "completely inappropriate, impractical, and unnecessary" for such a facility.
Resident Melise Witkin emphasized that the opposition is rooted in safety concerns, not socioeconomic status. "This is not about being rich or poor, this is about safety," she said. "We are 356 people in the village with 46 children and 1,250 men turning up is a recipe for disaster." Witkin also highlighted the lack of amenities and infrastructure in the area, noting the absence of pavements and streetlights on nearby roads.
Karen Joy, another resident, echoed the sentiment of being overlooked. "We feel we have been ignored," she stated, expressing worries about the lack of security and the potential for asylum seekers to wander into the village with "nothing to do." Some residents pointed out that their area already hosts a significant number of asylum seekers, with one claiming their local authority has more than the constituency of Andy Burnham, a political figure mentioned in the reports.
Graham Burchell, a farmer who has lived in Piddington since 1970, expressed his opposition, stating, "We don't need the camp, we don't want it and we would be a far sight better off without it." He also mentioned existing issues with noise from a nearby prison and a traveler camp, adding to local frustrations.
Andy Burnham, when asked about the planned camp, stated he would listen to concerns and respond. He acknowledged the challenges but reiterated the principle that all parts of the country should share the responsibility for housing asylum seekers, rather than concentrating them in the poorest communities. "We cannot have a situation where it's only the poorest communities in the country that receive all of the dispersal of refugees and asylum seekers," he said.
An analysis by the Daily Mail indicated that 17 local authorities currently house no taxpayer-supported asylum seekers, with many of these being rural areas. Asylum seekers awaiting decisions on their claims are eligible for accommodation and financial support from the Home Office, with dispersal managed across the country.