Residents of an Oxfordshire village have voted to leave the United Kingdom after taking part in a symbolic independence referendum.
Villagers in Piddington near Bicester were invited to vote on whether to secede from the UK and become an independent state on Tuesday (September 15) after the government announced plans to house 1,256 male asylum seekers at a nearby former military base.
The result of the vote, held by Piddington Parish Council, was announced on Wednesday morning (16 September).
312 votes were cast with 285 voting to leave and 26 voting to stay. One ballot paper was spoilt.
Parish chairman Tim McNally declared the village will now be known as "the Principality of Piddington".
A sign reading the village’s unofficial new name was then displayed outside the hall, while a campaign song created by the village played in the background, with the lyrics: "It’s the battle for Britain, and Britain roars."
Pensioner Herbert Owen, known in the village as Herbie, dubbed the independence referendum the "Battle of Britain".
After casting his vote, Mr Owen said: "It means everything our grandparents, our parents fought for – today is the Battle of Britain.
"This isn’t just about Piddington, this is about our whole country. This Government is destabilising our country.
"Wherever they put these people, in camps, in HMOs (houses in multiple occupation), or whatever, they’re ruining people’s lives."
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