To worry that I might lose my British citizenship one day because of the new law going through parliament?

[flashbac]

I was born here and so was one parent.

There is a Bill that has just been passed, while we were all distracted with shenanigans with parties and what not, that will allow citizenship to be revoked without notice.

I know the power to remove citizenship already exists but the without notice bit is quite scary. I assume that means someone could happily go about their business until they need to show right to be in the UK e.g new job or new rental and then poof, they can't access things and possibly get detained and then deported when they enquire about it and it's probably too late to contest it through the courts.

I know the responses will indicate how so many don't care, "don't do anything naughty then and they won't put you in the naughty bin ready to be turfed off to another land" but remember the right to protest, to give an example of how easy it will be to get on the wrong side of the authorities, will also be outlawed soon so anyone could be arrested, if the circumstances meant a person was driven to it, e.g you do a sit down protest outside a hospital because they covered up malpractice or, it's decided that a huge Amazon warehouse is built in the field behind your garden and you wanted to protest with your neighbours.

Lots of people will think this only affects 'foriners' so probably won't care. I think it's awful.

I'd start by removing citizenship from a man born in New York who spent part of his childhood in Brussels- Boris Johnson.

This Bill is awful and I hope the next government repeals it.

I think the symbolism of it is the worst thing - as people said it creates a second tier of citizenship. I doubt it will be employed hugely often, but that hardly matters, even a few cases would be an utter outrage, and I can see how scary it is for people.

My mum and both my in-laws are not British born - I'm not worried for any of them, but then we're white and affluent, and you know it's not going to be targeted at us.

I'm so confused by this.

So, I was born in a different country. My mother was born here. So I could just randomly be deported even though I have been a citizen of the uk for decades? Seems mental.

But what seems even more mental, because I was born in a different country, my children, who were born here could also potentially be deported?! Because that seems to be the OPs position. They were born here, but one parent was not?

I just don't see how that is what they are meaning with this bill. It makes zero sense. Am I missing something?

(Disclaimer: I haven't read the bill in question. I am purely going by I have understood from the OP. Which, I am fully accepting of the fact that I have misunderstood)

@StrongerThanA90sTrend

I'm so confused by this.

So, I was born in a different country. My mother was born here. So I could just randomly be deported even though I have been a citizen of the uk for decades? Seems mental.

But what seems even more mental, because I was born in a different country, my children, who were born here could also potentially be deported?! Because that seems to be the OPs position. They were born here, but one parent was not?

I just don't see how that is what they are meaning with this bill. It makes zero sense. Am I missing something?

(Disclaimer: I haven't read the bill in question. I am purely going by I have understood from the OP. Which, I am fully accepting of the fact that I have misunderstood)

If you were born somewhere else, or your parents or grandparents were, it could be said you have access to citizenship elsewhere so, if you were to become an 'undesirable' person, you could lose your British passport. This wouldn't apply to Mr Bloggs down the road who doesn't have any foreign grandparents so basically you and I are not as British as a white 'indigenous' Brit.

If Mr Bloggs and I were tried for the same crime e.g we both protested against a road being built over our gardens and this was deemed to be in support of XR because they were at the protest too, Mr Bloggs can resume his life after his sentence but I would be turfed out and have to apply to another country I have no experience of, just because my grandparents were born there.

The power for them to revoke citizenship has already been enshrined in law but now they want to do it WITHOUT NOTICE which begs the question: why? So you can't contest it that's why.

@StrongerThanA90sTrend it depends on the country.

Eg in the USA, if you are born there, you are automatically an American citizen. Other countries do not work like this and you wouldn’t get that citizenship just because you are born there.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2021/12/new-home-secretary-priti-patels-powers-to-strip-citizenship-are-the-most-draconian-in-the-g20

[quote LostForIdeas]@StrongerThanA90sTrend it depends on the country.

Eg in the USA, if you are born there, you are automatically an American citizen. Other countries do not work like this and you wouldn’t get that citizenship just because you are born there.[/quote]
This is true, but I seriously doubt those wanting this give a shit. You're not our problem anymore, it's not up to us to find somewhere else to take you.

OP you are very right to be concerned. A few of my friends who are second generation UK citizens drew this to my attention. All are professionals who contribute a lot to society, as have their parents. A very close friend's father has always maintained as a family they must not assume they will always have a home in the UK and has kept a home in Bangladesh no one has lived in since 1970. She has always humoured him but this law has really made her think about her and her family's place in UK society.

We should all leave. Tomorrow. Every single person in the UK with any heritage outwith. (Going back how many generations???)

Then read about the result come Monday morning. Would be hilarious … (Obvs wouldn’t be reading English newspapers - because they’d have shut down overnight. Along with Westminster, roads, laboratories, hospitals, courts, the entire arts industry, the BBC, all the restaurants still standing after Brexit, Wi-Fi probably, and a million other things I can’t be bothered to list.)

Oh, how we’d laugh.

Not surprised at all by all the posters celebrating this bill.
Booting out 'foreigners' is always going to be popular sadly.

Yes, this is worrying. I guess what’s most important is how this law is going to be used and if used proportionately (although I’m not actually sure I agree with it ever being used, I agree it creates two tiers of citizenship overnight, and even with Shamima Begum I think we ought to have taken responsibility for her and brought her back and tried her and imprisoned her most likely for life in the UK, rather than strip her of citizenship). I hope it’s going to be a rarely used arcane law on the future, but I do not trust the current government and it does worry me that they seem to be putting all the machinery in place so that if a truly evil dictator type came along (rather than an incompetent narcissist who just doesn’t really care enough about his responsibilities or us little people like now), we could very quickly become an authoritarian state. It’s not dissimilar to how Hitler ultimately gained power, he did it through legal means, and I’m shocked that not more people seem alive to what’s going on. I’m not a COVID denier but I think the government have certainly used aspects of the pandemic to huge advantage.

This thread reflects what was said on many Brexit threads. We think we're equal. We say we're equal. And then we hear all the voices saying that purely because of who we were born to - like we chose those people - some people are not as British.

Windrush was something the entire country should have been protesting about.

The country should have been up in arms about the treatment of Brits in many EU countries during the drawn-out Brexit negotiations, because they had moved abroad under freedom of movement and had zero reason to believe they were disconnecting from the U.K. by doing so.

The country should have been up in arms about the Brits who cannot return to the U.K. with their EU spouses and their children, because the visa rules changed.

But our society is set up in such a way that there is a hierarchy, there has always been, and through that lens, British society accepts that some people are simply more deserving than others, for no reason other than birth. And people want to have a higher position in that hierarchy. So, rather than protest, there is a subconscious smugness that there's another layer below them, making them feel just a little more important.

The country is built on the inequality of the population. There will never be a critical mass - ever - of Brits to prevent another layer bring added to the bottom.

@daretodenim

This thread reflects what was said on many Brexit threads. We think we're equal. We say we're equal. And then we hear all the voices saying that purely because of who we were born to - like we chose those people - some people are not as British.

Windrush was something the entire country should have been protesting about.

The country should have been up in arms about the treatment of Brits in many EU countries during the drawn-out Brexit negotiations, because they had moved abroad under freedom of movement and had zero reason to believe they were disconnecting from the U.K. by doing so.

The country should have been up in arms about the Brits who cannot return to the U.K. with their EU spouses and their children, because the visa rules changed.

But our society is set up in such a way that there is a hierarchy, there has always been, and through that lens, British society accepts that some people are simply more deserving than others, for no reason other than birth. And people want to have a higher position in that hierarchy. So, rather than protest, there is a subconscious smugness that there's another layer below them, making them feel just a little more important.

The country is built on the inequality of the population. There will never be a critical mass - ever - of Brits to prevent another layer bring added to the bottom.

ok - so do you think that just a British problem? Like you’re insinuating?

I think you’ll find that most populated counties have a similar outlooks. Britain is one of the most tolerant controls these days so don’t try to make out it’s not!!!

countries

Britain may be more tolerant than other countries, but it is much less tolerant than it used to be. This legislation disproportionately impacts British minorities and citizens in NI.

If there ever comes a time when such a law is needed, believe me they will be passed quickly and, I would hope, a time limitation. There is no need for such legislation now.

tolerant - of what exactly?

Tolerance relates to that which we dislike or disagree with …

@LiterallyKnowsBest

We should all leave. Tomorrow. Every single person in the UK with any heritage outwith. (Going back how many generations???)

Then read about the result come Monday morning. Would be hilarious … (Obvs wouldn’t be reading English newspapers - because they’d have shut down overnight. Along with Westminster, roads, laboratories, hospitals, courts, the entire arts industry, the BBC, all the restaurants still standing after Brexit, Wi-Fi probably, and a million other things I can’t be bothered to list.)

Oh, how we’d laugh.

Did you watch the original Shameless? Frank says a version of what you said about how if every immigrant downed tools for 1 day, the entire system and country would fall apart. Your both absolutely right.

If you can make a logical or sensible reason for what you've said other than brainwashed sockpuppeting I'll give you the details of choked and a machine gun held and cocked between a womans legs because of the accent=terrorist or (we can get away with it). If you're just chatting shite, jog on and stop trying to derail an adult conversation into your hobby.

@RuggerHug

If you can make a logical or sensible reason for what you've said other than brainwashed sockpuppeting I'll give you the details of choked and a machine gun held and cocked between a womans legs because of the accent=terrorist or (we can get away with it). If you're just chatting shite, jog on and stop trying to derail an adult conversation into your hobby.

This was to starcup the quote didn't work.

@LiterallyKnowsBest

tolerant - of what exactly?

Tolerance relates to that which we dislike or disagree with …

to everything and everyone. Good luck getting in to Australia, Canada, US etc …….

I think it’s a great idea if it stops terrorists being allowed back in Britain. Hopefully it will deter them from committing atrocities here.

As already stated, the average person has nothing to worry about. If that’s what keeps you up at night then you can’t have many problems. Be honest, trustworthy and don’t commit crimes and you’ll be ok

@RuggerHug

If you can make a logical or sensible reason for what you've said other than brainwashed sockpuppeting I'll give you the details of choked and a machine gun held and cocked between a womans legs because of the accent=terrorist or (we can get away with it). If you're just chatting shite, jog on and stop trying to derail an adult conversation into your hobby.

Don’t be so OTT dramatic. Do you think it’s about you? And the average law abiding citizen? Don’t be ridiculous.

It’s to stop and prevent terrorists. If you don’t like it well………….

@RuggerHug

If you can make a logical or sensible reason for what you've said other than brainwashed sockpuppeting I'll give you the details of choked and a machine gun held and cocked between a womans legs because of the accent=terrorist or (we can get away with it). If you're just chatting shite, jog on and stop trying to derail an adult conversation into your hobby.

I think you’re talking more bollocks than anyone. WTF you stressing about this for? You must have an easy life

The reason I (and likely many others) voted yabu is that this bill makes no changes to the circumstances in which someone can be stripped of their citizenship (very serious matters such as terrorism). So it makes no difference really

Don’t be so OTT dramatic. Do you think it’s about you? And the average law abiding citizen? Don’t be ridiculous.

Any average law abiding citizen can find itself under suspicion, this bill is broad enough to cover that. Also, the government don't have to tell you!🤯 You could go on holiday and come back to find your citizenship stripped from you and barred from entering your own country.😲😲😲