Reform and Tory spokesmen in angry clash over immigration at Piddington

Conservative MP Chris Philp and Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf argued at a press conference in Piddington, where both had joined residents opposing plans for asylum accommodation at a former military site. The dispute over immigration policy exposed the parties’ competing claims about responsibility for the proposal, despite their shared opposition to it.

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner approved a change of use for the MoD Bicester site, allowing the Home Office to continue developing its plan for accommodation for more than 1,200 asylum seekers; officials said no final decision had been made. Philp said a future Conservative government would close the facility if it opened, while Yusuf called on him to apologise for the Conservatives’ immigration record. The parish council expects to mount a legal challenge, and the village, which has about 350 residents, has strongly opposed the plans.