Downing Street has defended plans to convert a military base near the Oxfordshire village of Piddington into accommodation for asylum seekers, insisting the safety of the public will always be its "top priority."
Communities Secretary Angela Rayner has approved full planning permission for the site at MoD Bicester, which could accommodate more than 1,200 detained asylum seekers despite significant local opposition. Piddington has warned the Government to expect a legal challenge, and residents have made a symbolic attempt to declare the village independent from the rest of the country.
Government defends safety measures
Ministers want to use former military bases as part of efforts to close all asylum hotels, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham saying it should not just be the poorest communities receiving dispersed refugees. Insisting the MoD Bicester accommodation will be safe for locals, the Prime Minister's deputy spokeswoman said such sites are "designed to be self-contained with 24/7 security and CCTV to minimise the impact on the local community."
She continued: "As the Prime Minister himself has said, we do not want a situation where it's only the poorest communities in the country that receive all of the dispersal of refugees and asylum seekers who believe all parties to play their part." Asked what he would say to the women of Piddington, the spokeswoman said: "I think he would say we completely understand the strength of the feeling here and the safety of the public will always be our top priority, and that's why we will work with police and other partners to ensure security arrangements are in place."
Local opposition and legal challenge threats
Earlier on Friday, Piddington Parish council chairman Tim McNally said there would be "many actions" by villagers in the coming weeks, and that ministers should "absolutely" be braced for a legal challenge. He also told BBC Radio 4's Today programme they could apply the new Hillsborough Law. Once passed, the law would create a legally enforceable duty of candour which compels public officials and authorities to act transparently when investigations and inquiries take place.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the plans were a "betrayal of the women of Piddington" and "emblematic of Labour and Angela Rayner's disregard for the law and women and girls' safety." She said on social media: "When I visited Piddington I met a village terrified of what was about to land on their doorstep. The Government said it was listening, instead it's completely ignored this community's concerns. The 1,000+ male migrants that Labour are about to deposit in Oxfordshire are in Britain illegally. They should be deported as soon as possible, not housed in areas completely unsuitable for the task."
Home Office response
A Home Office spokesperson said previously: "Planning permission allows us to continue to progress the use of MoD Bicester. However, a final decision to proceed is yet to be taken. The Government is working on a fairer distribution of asylum accommodation across the country, with over £1 billion saved in costs since the election. This includes closing all asylum hotels and moving to alternative accommodation, including former military sites. These are designed to be self-contained, with 24/7 security and CCTV, to minimise the impact on the local community."
