VILLAGE VOTES INDEPENDENCE FROM LONDON

LONDON, SEPTEMBER 16 /SRNA/ - The village of Piddington in Oxfordshire, located some 80 kilometers from London, voted today in a referendum to secede from the United Kingdom amid a dispute with the Government over plans to accommodate 1,256 male asylum seekers at a former military base.

Residents of Piddington, which has a population of 350, voted 285 to 26 in favor of the move in a referendum organized by the parish council.

Local leaders welcomed the outcome of the vote and described it as a victory for democracy, despite the fact that the referendum has no legal basis and represents only a symbolic victory.

The referendum was held in the village as part of a dispute over a plan to accommodate asylum seekers at a base in the immediate vicinity of Piddington.

The village leadership stressed that the number of asylum seekers significantly exceeds the number of residents and that, since they are all men, this represents a threat to all women and girls.

They also pointed to their right to freedom of movement without fear of harassment or possible attacks.

The Government said it understood the concerns of residents but that it "will not back down" and that the burden of accommodating migrants needs to be distributed fairly.

"We will not change the plan, but we have heard the concerns of Piddington residents," Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the BBC.