Citizenship Deprivation, Clause 64, LOBBY YOUR MP

Over 3 weeks ago, the government were defeated in the House of Lords, in their attempts to make Naturalized British citizens stateless. Clause 64 of the immigration bill, which was given very little time and attention for debate, would have given them the power to do this. Though it was originally passed in the House of Commons, the House of lords defeated it and put down their own amendment whereby the power would be fully examined by a joint parliamentary committee, of both Houses before becoming law. We ask that you lobby your MP to please back this important amendment. The debate will take place as early as May 7. So this is a matter of great urgency. Below is a template that you can send. You can lobby your MP online via www.writetothem.com PLEASE do so and SHARE :)


Hello, I am writing to you about the governments attempts to allow the Home Secretray to have the power to make naturalized, British citizens stateless.

Clause 64 of the Immigration Bill, was published on 29th January around 24 hours before House of Commons Report Stage consideration of the Bill. It attracted around 40 minutes of scrutiny as part of Report Stage consideration of the Bill in the House of Commons. The clause provides for the Secretary of State to render a person stateless by depriving him of nationality, where citizenship has been gained through naturalisation and where the Home Secretary is satisfied that
deprivation is ‘conducive to the public good because the person, while having that citizenship status, has conducted him or herself in a manner which is seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the United Kingdom.’

Now this does not mean they have been charged or convicted of a serious crime, or any crime for that matter. The Government is using security arguments to justify the move, but making terror suspects stateless – rather than catching, convicting and detaining them – is no safe way of dealing with potentially dangerous individuals. We have to show that we are not like the dictatorial regimes who use this power against their own citizens.

The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 amended the 1981 Act to provide that citizenship could be removed on just two grounds: from those who have gained it through fraud or where the Secretary of State is satisfied that the person has done something seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the UK, provided that revocation of citizenship would not render him stateless.

The JCHR expressed, in its recent report on the Bill, its grave
misgivings about the Government’s apparent intention to use clause 64 in relation to naturalized British citizens while they are abroad. It concluded “it appears that this carries a very great risk of breaching the UK’s international obligations to the State who admitted the British citizen to its territory.” (Can be viewed at JCHR, Legislative Scrutiny: Immigration Bill (second Record), paragraph 38)

Now in their debate, the Lords removed this from the Bill in favour of an amendment which requires it to be further considered by a joint committee of the Commons and Lords. The amendment was passed by 242 votes to 180. This would require it to be fully examined by a joint parliamentary committee before becoming law. It could be debated as early as May 7 in the House of Commons. I ask that you please back this amendment and stand up for basic Human Rights, for all our citizens.

Yours sincerely,