A small English village is preparing to stage a symbolic referendum on leaving the United Kingdom, in a protest that highlights growing tensions between rural communities and the Government’s plans to move asylum seekers out of hotels and into former military sites.
Barnham, in Suffolk, could become the second village to organise such a vote after Piddington in Oxfordshire declared itself the “Principality of Piddington” following an unofficial referendum in September.
The dispute centres on the former RAF Barnham base, near Thetford, which the Government is considering using to accommodate asylum seekers during the initial processing of their claims.
At a meeting in Barnham’s village hall on Saturday, only seven of around 80 attendees opposed holding a referendum. A group is due to meet on Monday to set a timetable for the vote, the BBC said.
John Bauer, chairman of Barnham parish council and a supporter of the initiative, said residents wanted to show their anger at the lack of consultation over a decision they believe could change their community’s character.
“Residents voted decisively in favour of holding a referendum as a means to demonstrate the strength of feeling in the village at the government’s failure to consult anyone about a matter which will change the nature of the village,” he told the BBC.
“This democratic action stands in dramatic contrast to the high-handed approach the government is taking.”
The proposed vote follows a similar protest in Piddington, where 285 residents backed symbolic independence, compared with 26 who opposed it. Turnout reached nearly 92 per cent, with one ballot spoiled. The result carried no legal authority to remove the village from the UK.
Barnham’s population is around 600, and opposition to the proposed accommodation has already been visible. In August, demonstrators gathered outside the former RAF base, displaying Union and St George’s flags and holding placards declaring: “Barnham says no. Protect our community.”
The issue has unfolded against a tense local backdrop. In Thetford, protests in August escalated into unrest, with police reporting significant aggression and officers being assaulted during three nights of disorder.
The Government maintains that former military sites offer a more manageable and affordable alternative to hotel accommodation. The Home Office says the facilities are designed to be self-contained, with round-the-clock security and CCTV, to limit their impact on neighbouring communities.
A spokesperson said: “We recognise the strength of feeling in local communities and are listening carefully to the concerns being raised.”
The department said it was pursuing a fairer distribution of asylum accommodation across the country, adding that more than £1bn had been saved in costs since the election. Its broader plan includes closing asylum hotels and moving people into alternative accommodation, including former military sites.
However, no final decision has been taken on the future use of Barnham or Bicester, although planning applications have been submitted for asylum accommodation at both locations.
The dispute illustrates the political challenge facing ministers as they attempt to reduce the cost of housing asylum seekers while addressing local objections. For Barnham’s residents, the proposed referendum offers a highly visible protest; for the Government, it is another sign that its accommodation strategy risks provoking resistance even before final decisions are made.
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