Last week a small village in Oxfordshire held an ‘independence referendum’ in protest at the government’s proposal to house more than 1,000 migrants in a former military base nearby.
There were 312 votes cast, with 285 in favour of independence. Whilst the poll had no legal basis, it is a good example of effective campaigning tactics used by pressure groups to gain media attention for their campaigns.
However, the failure by villagers in Piddington to change the government’s plans in this instance highlights some of the problems facing pressure groups. Firstly, the campaign is at direct odds with the aims of the government, meaning that there is little room for compromise. Secondly, the size of the village means that it lacks the resources to effectively challenge the government in any sustained way.
It could also be argued that there are very few political consequences for Labour in acting in this way – Oxfordshire is not traditionally fertile ground for Labour, with many contests in the vicinity fought between the Conservatives and Lib Dems. Therefore, the Government’s actions are unlikely to have significant ramifications come election time, as they might do if similar protests occurred in the ‘Red Wall’ or in more built up areas.