Labour minister defends plan to house asylum seekers in former base as villagers vote to leave UK

Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, acknowledged community concerns but maintained that converting a former military base near Piddlington into accommodation for 1,250 asylum seekers is the best solution, citing the need to close urban asylum hotels. Villagers, numbering around 350, launched a non-binding vote to secede from the United Kingdom as a form of protest, promising further actions. Residents, particularly women, voiced worries about safety and the village’s capacity to absorb newcomers, prompting them to set up self-defence courses, install CCTV and hire security patrols.

Reynolds highlighted that the government is reducing the asylum claim backlog by over half and achieving record deportation numbers, insisting the plan is necessary to manage the small-boat crisis. He rejected accusations that the government is exploiting public anxiety and affirmed the commitment to relocate asylum seekers away from town centres. The referendum carries no legal weight but underscores growing local opposition to national migration policy.