1) I was comparing the wording of the UK Oath of Allegiance which new citizens take with the equivalent US Oath. The US Oath is very specific. It requires citizens to “absolutely & entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty.” I wonder if we should have wording more like that. It makes unambiguous that citizenship implies an overriding loyalty, which you are expected to uphold unconditionally.
2) I think stripping people like Shamima Begum of her UK citizenship is wrong. But the alternative, of allowing her back, has to involve at least the possibility of charging her with treason.
3) I notice that Keir Starmer intends to give 6 million non-UK citizens the right to vote in UK General Elections. I know this might sound incredibly cynical, but I suspect he thinks there is an electoral advantage for the Labour Party in doing this. It might also disincentivise people from bothering to take the citizenship test, since they will gain one of the main benefits of citizenship without taking it. Since we select juries based on the electoral roll, these non-citizens will also be available as jurors on any cases people such as Shamima Begum could be tried with if she is ever allowed to return to the UK. Sir Keir has not made clear whether these non-citizens could be conscripted in wartime.
1) I was comparing the wording of the UK Oath of Allegiance which new citizens take with the equivalent US Oath. The US Oath is very specific. It requires citizens to “absolutely & entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty.” I wonder if we should have wording more like that. It makes unambiguous that citizenship implies an overriding loyalty, which you are expected to uphold unconditionally.
2) I think stripping people like Shamima Begum of her UK citizenship is wrong. But the alternative, of allowing her back, has to involve at least the possibility of charging her with treason.
3) I notice that Keir Starmer intends to give 6 million non-UK citizens the right to vote in UK General Elections. I know this might sound incredibly cynical, but I suspect he thinks there is an electoral advantage for the Labour Party in doing this. It might also disincentivise people from bothering to take the citizenship test, since they will gain one of the main benefits of citizenship without taking it. Since we select juries based on the electoral roll, these non-citizens will also be available as jurors on any cases people such as Shamima Begum could be tried with if she is ever allowed to return to the UK. Sir Keir has not made clear whether these non-citizens could be conscripted in wartime.