Women in the small British village of Piddington are urging lawmakers to stop plans to house more than 1,250 male migrants at a nearby military base, warning that the proposal would dramatically change their community and leave residents fearful for their safety.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Women in the village of Piddington are appealing directly to British lawmakers to halt government plans to house more than 1,250 male migrants at a nearby military base, saying the proposal would overwhelm their community and fundamentally alter daily life in the small village.
Piddington has just over 300 residents, with women and children accounting for about 63% of the population. Residents say the village has no pub, shops or significant local amenities capable of supporting an influx several times larger than its existing population.
In a video appeal shared online, local women addressed female members of Parliament in a series of short statements describing themselves and their concerns.
“To the Women of Parliament.”
“We are the women of Piddington.”
“We are mothers.”
“We are grandmothers.”
“We are widows.”
“We are workers.”
“We are worried.”
“We will be outnumbered.”
“10 to 1.”
“1,256 men.”
“To over 3,000 and could rise again.”
“Right next to our homes.”
“We won’t be safe.”
“We’ll live in fear.”
“You’ll destroy this place.”
“You’ve got the power.”
“To stop this plan.”
“We are begging you.”
“We know you can.”
“You stay silent.”
“You’ll be to blame.”
“Stand up, speak out.”
“Make your voice heard.”
“To our fellow women.”
“Give us your word.”
The protest follows growing frustration among residents over what they describe as a lack of consultation by the government.
Piddington Parish Council Chairman Tim McNally told GB News that local officials and residents had received little communication from Downing Street despite widespread media attention surrounding the proposal.
“I’ve been approached by every single media outlet on this earth. They’ve been able to call me, they’ve been able to e-mail me, but I’ve had zero from No10 in terms of how we’re getting on,” McNally said.
“Piddington is basically the tip of the spear for this entire subject across this nation. I’ve had to use the branding of Piddington to basically help people understand, yes, we formalise this as an environment, but we’ve got to do this across the whole of the nation because it’s not just about Piddington, it’s about how the Government is going to treat its people without consideration.”
The women’s appeal has received support from MP Sarah Pochin, who said she and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman were backing the residents.
“The residents of Piddington have been treated appallingly. This is an open letter to those residents from @SuellaBraverman and me, pledging our full support,” Pochin said in a social media post.
Opposition in Piddington has been building for months. In July, residents staged a symbolic independence referendum intended to draw the Labour government’s attention to their objections.
An overwhelming 98% of participants voted to leave the United Kingdom, an action intended as a protest rather than a legally binding move toward independence.
A second poll is scheduled for Sept. 15 as residents continue pressing the government to reconsider the planned accommodation site.
The dispute has increasingly centered not only on the number of people proposed for the military base but also on residents’ contention that the government has failed to meaningfully consult the village about a plan whose scale would greatly exceed Piddington’s existing population.
For the women appearing in the latest video, the appeal was directed specifically toward female lawmakers whom they believe could intervene before the accommodation plan proceeds.
“We are begging you,” the women said. “Stand up, speak out. Make your voice heard.”
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