Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Lords criticise plans to remove UK citizenship without warning

Lords criticise plans to remove UK citizenship without warning

Peers hit out at clause in nationality bill as threatening British values of ‘fair play and rule of law’
Plans to strip people of British citizenship without prior warning are against British values and would render people from ethnic minorities second-class citizens, senior peers have warned.

Clause 9 of the nationality and borders bill, which exempts the government from having to give notice if it is not “reasonably practicable” to do so, or in the interests of national security, diplomatic relations or otherwise in the public interest, has attracted heavy criticism and protests outside parliament.

Amendments tabled by the former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation Lord Anderson after discussions with the government, will reduce the circumstances in which notice can be withheld and introduce safeguards – but some peers say they do not go far enough.

In a letter sent to the home office minister Susan Williams ahead of the report stage in the House of Lords, which begins on Monday, the Conservative peers Sayeeda Warsi and Nosheena Mubarik and the crossbench peer Frances D’Souza say: “Clause 9 would create a secret power of citizenship deprivation without appeal. Far from protecting the public, this gravely threatens cherished British values of fair play and the rule of law that make UK citizenship so prized around the world.

“We also risk leaving ethnic minority communities feeling second-class citizens.”

The peers say that even after the amendments, the clause would still have retrospective effect and treat past deprivations of citizenship “as if they were lawful, even where courts have found they failed to comply with statute at the time they were made”.

Last month, the court of appeal upheld a high court ruling that the government acted unlawfully when it stripped a British woman in a Syrian refugee camp of her citizenship without telling her.

The peers write: “If she wishes, the home secretary can simply reissue the deprivation orders that were invalid because they were made unlawfully. Instead, the government aims to enact the legal fiction that they were always valid. It is manifestly unjust to unlawfully strip someone of all the rights that come with British citizenship, without even providing them notice, and then make that decision lawful years later by legislative fiat.”

Powers to remove British citizenship in certain cases are longstanding but have been incrementally broadened this century, in 2003, 2006 and 2014, and their use accelerated under Theresa May’s tenure as home secretary from 2010. While UK governments have cited the need to fight terrorism, allies such as the US have warned that stripping individuals of citizenship is not an effective means of doing so.

The letter says citizenship “is not like a driving licence or library card. It is something of profound importance that shapes the very lives we lead. Citizenship-deprivation powers already create a two-tiered system of citizenship, with ethnic minority communities eight times more likely to be vulnerable to being deprived of their nationality than those who are white”.

A Home Office spokesperson said the right to appeal remains unaffected, adding: “This change in the bill is simply about the process of notification and recognises that in exceptional circumstances, such as when someone is in a war zone, or informing them would reveal sensitive intelligence sources, it may not be possible to do this.”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Japanese Customer Sways from VW to BYD after “Unbelievable” Test Drive amid Dealership Expansion
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
White House Eyes Budapest for Peace Talks
Cave Diving Beneath the Streets of Budapest
Another American Restaurant Chain Opens in Budapest
Hungarian Opposition Politician Supports Ukrainian Commander
Opposition Leader Threatens Media Outlets
American Airlines Adds New Flights to Budapest
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Wraps Up
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
U.S. Trade Representative says Washington still negotiating trade deals after court rules tariffs illegal
Von der Leyen says Europe drawing up 'precise' plans to send troops to Ukraine
Kremlin accuses Europe of hindering Trump’s peace efforts in Ukraine
×