// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Why is a village holding a referendum on leaving the UK?
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp (centre) and shadow minister for women and equalities Joy Morrissey (centre left) with residents of Piddington
Residents of a small village set to house more than 1,000 asylum seekers are due to vote in a symbolic referendum on whether it should remain part of the UK.
Piddington, a village of about 400 people near Bicester in Oxfordshire, decided in July to hold the vote after the government announced plans to house asylum seekers at a nearby Ministry of Defence (MoD) site.
Under the proposal, MoD Bicester could be converted into basic accommodation to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers.
The Home Office said it was "working to fairly house asylum seekers across the country" and that it had saved taxpayers over £1bn on asylum support costs since the election.
The vote is taking place on Tuesday – but why is it being held, and will it make any difference?
The Home Office announced the plans in June as part of wider proposals to move people out of hotels.
Known as "Site A", MoD Bicester is located between the villages of Piddington and Upper and Lower Arncott.
In 2005 it was the target of similar plans for an asylum seekers accommodation centre, external, which were abandoned by the then-Labour government.
This year's announcement sparked widespread criticism, including from the district council and human rights groups, with many residents expressing shock.