UK offers clear route to British citizenship for 3mil+ Hong Kong citizens

[Cam77]

The UK government has effectively just offered virtual no strings right to remain/full British citizenship to 3 million HK citizens + spouses/dependent children (as far as I understand it).

Five years no strings leave to remain for those eligible for BNO passport+any dependents. I think the legislation hasn't been passed, but just a matter of time.

Given the historical closeness between HK and the UK and the current situation in HK, I would not be a bit surprised if, say, half a million Hong Kongers take up the offer of moving to the UK in the next year or two.

Have to admit I didn't expect that from the Tories. Just curious whether people support this move by the British government?

YABU = No
YANBU = Yes

@MrsTerryPratchett exactly! We don't want to live like that here

@Ilovegreentomatoes I somehow don't think the british people were complaining when Hong Kong was a colony under British rule and the money generated from its port was flowing straight into british coffers.

Being an ex colonial master comes with obligations. Germany is still paying the stipends of holocaust survivors and I don't see them complaining. There would be an uproar if they complained.

@PersonaNonGarter

I am a Tory and I completely support this. It is so exciting that the UK govt is able to do something so bold and so morally right.

This is the reality and the best part of Brexit. We can honour our duties to the ex-Commonwealth who we owe so much.

This!

It's quite funny seeing so many lefties who are saying they didn't expect this from the Tories. Why not? We have always been clear that we support those in genuine need.

@Desiringonlychild
Yes, it seems there is a huge generational gap. The Western media, take the Guardian for instance, only seems interested in the 25 and under experience in its reporting. That’s irresponsible in my view and not providing a full picture. I want to know what everyone is thinking not just the university youth.

We have always been clear that we support those in genuine need.

No you bloody haven't.

^^ Someone with Zimbabwean family.

[quote Feellikedancingyeah]@MrsTerryPratchett exactly! We don't want to live like that here[/quote]
Don't speak for me.

I like efficient, dense cities and open, development-free countryside.

So they’ll be encouraged to move to the U.K. to help the ailing economy whilst they are economically active then once they hit retirement age and are no longer productive suddenly the rules will change and their citizenship will be invalidated just like Windrush?

I’d scrutinise the T&Cs if I were them!

I love how 75% on MN think its ok for 3 millions people from HK to come over and become british citizens just like this.
But somehow the 3 million EU citizens that had made their life in the Uk, paid taxes tec... were just persona non grata, queue jumpers and so on...

I'm not trying to set up a "he took your biscuit" scenario with HKers and Zimbabweans, but it's an absolute load of cobblers to pretend that the UK takes people because they're in genuine need.

It spends a huge amount of time, money and effort attempting to deport people who are at very high risk of death if they return to country of origin.

I also thought that Brexit was about giving the same opportunities to come to the UK to EVERYONE. Why is the government, the very people who told us that EU citizens were awful for having privileges, are now OK to not treat everyoe the same and give privileges to HK citizens?

I am a Tory Brexiteer and I fully support this. It's morally the right thing to do and I believe that some of the prosperity of HK can be imported here with those that leave, as as a whole the country has a highly educated and skilled population. Possibly some of the businesses currently in HK may move with them.

The only thing I would say is to build the infrastructure to support it, I don't know what this looks like.

@magicmarkerz
But who is “we”?
Peter Hitchens did a great hour long video interview in the Sun (of all places - it’s on YouTube). And he made the point that, among many others, he wouldn’t describe Johnson as a Conservative. I agree with him 100%. I would consider voting Conservative if they were Conservative, but they are not. Since Thatcher, they have been far more interesting in cutting and selling than conserving. And their morals, their promotion of social cohesion, shared values (which they must also abide by) is virtually non existent. Major went against the grain a bit, but that’s been the exception. The tragedy is that Labour has also lost its way - though I think Starmer could get them back on course, while Johnson is just taking the Tories off into the amoral abyss. (and yes, I know the Tories handed out a beating at the last election. But Starmer is already preferred as PM!)

@Cam77 compare hong kong and singapore. Both are very dense cities. Singapore has 30% reclaimed land. however singapore house prices are far cheaper. A singapore citizen can get a government subsidized 3 bed room 1000 Sq feet flat for the equivalent of 200-250k GBP.

The difference is that in HK (like in UK), housing is built by property developers and a lot of them hoard land to increase prices. In singapore, 95% of land is owned by the government and they build subsidized housing for 85% of the population.

People always say UK is overcrowded. I say that it is because the government doesn't invest in housing and infrastructure for the people, and that is not going to change even if you have less immigrants.

We have always been clear that we support those in genuine need.

Unless you have a disability.

Or are a self employed director.

Or became self employed in March.

Or got a new job in March.

Or have to use a food bank due to the failure of implementation of Universal Credit, PIP etc.

But, you’ll give tax cuts to the rich, let’s all clap for bankers who make the NHS possible (said Boris)

@QuestionMarkNow

I love how 75% on MN think its ok for 3 millions people from HK to come over and become british citizens just like this. But somehow the 3 million EU citizens that had made their life in the Uk, paid taxes tec... were just persona non grata, queue jumpers and so on...

Spot on @QuestionMarkNow! What a bunch of mindless sheep.

Great idea. On the verge of a recession whereby thousands of jobs are going to be lost and us trying to rebuild our economy. Let’s bring three million more people into the mix 🙄

* China uses HK as a gateway to western investment. If the talented people go, the businesses would also go. They only want HK because it is a wealthy city with a global financial hub.*

Actually HK is no longer needed by global companies, now that China has developed Shanghai and Beijing. But additionally East Asia is not where future development is predicted - that is the English speaking countries between India and Vietnam. Many companies (HSBC is a big one) would probably love to reduce the scale of HK (and UK) operations to allow them to make stronger moves to SE Asia.

S and SE Asia

@GrumpyHoonMain China has a lot of restrictive laws for foreign companies. it can bypass all those laws in HK.

Thats why there is so much activity in HK as a financial hub. A lot of them are now moving to singapore. However since the security law was passed, a lot of Chinese companies listed for huge amounts on the HK stock exchange.

[quote Desiringonlychild]@Cam77 compare hong kong and singapore. Both are very dense cities. Singapore has 30% reclaimed land. however singapore house prices are far cheaper. A singapore citizen can get a government subsidized 3 bed room 1000 Sq feet flat for the equivalent of 200-250k GBP.

The difference is that in HK (like in UK), housing is built by property developers and a lot of them hoard land to increase prices. In singapore, 95% of land is owned by the government and they build subsidized housing for 85% of the population.

People always say UK is overcrowded. I say that it is because the government doesn't invest in housing and infrastructure for the people, and that is not going to change even if you have less immigrants.[/quote]
Singaporean housing is INCREDIBLY interesting. Almost no homelessness, government built housing to buy, mixed communities by design,infrastructure built into housing.

Singapore should be teaching the world how to house. They went from overcrowded slums to everyone housed in 30 years. Amazing achievement.

@Desiringonlychild
Excellent points. I’m no expert but from much of what I’ve heard it sounds like the governance of HK has been very complacent for a very long time. As long as the money kept flowing in, the HK government turned a blind eye to the increasingly desperate living conditions of a substantial number of the populace.

@MrsTerryPratchett this is because the government housing isn't just for the poor, it is also for the middle class. 92% of people own their own homes and most of these are government housing.

It isn't regarded as a drain to the system. I recall a thread when someone was saying that a woman shouldn't have more children if she was living in a council house as it was costing the taxpayer. Hence no wonder no one wants to live in a council house as no one wants to feel like a leech or of low status. So everyone buys privately. The problem is that developers build housing not out of kindness but for profit. The best way to enhance profits is to build for rich people who can afford to pay more. When you are buying a house in the UK, you are not buying a home, you are investing in an asset.

In singapore, you only buy private housing if your household income is more than £96k per annum. If you earn less than £96k, you are deemed too poor for the private market and you buy a government subsidizied flat instead. that is the correct way of doing things.

Of course, it’s a clear human right issue now. It’s going to all get much worse in that part of the world.

It also has flexible housing with incentives to live with/near aging relatives that need care. Encouraging multi-generational households and lessens the burden on the government. Very clever.

Some of the brexiteers at my workplace are raging.
I don't know enough about HK to know if many would take up the offer. I don't care if they do.