To become a citizen of Switzerland you need to be a resident for at least 12years, and only then after your local community judges you to be suitable.

Every year there are 160,000 new British citizens, which is excessive. Visiting WH Smith today I saw a CD on how to pass your citizenship test. One of these so-called well-intentioned schemes by New Labour which is pretty impractical.

So - what I propose for British citizenship is:

A minimum of 12 years residence
Proof of considerable service to the community, fluent in the English language, long-established cultural and social ties etc.
The applicant would then have to present their case to a court of law, where a jury will consider whether they are suitable or not. The default position to be that of no right to citizenship. The onus will be on the applicant to provide all of the evidence.
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Northumbrian>

An interesting policy. I do believe that the citizenship rules need tightening up considerably. I think we need to review the whole system and gear it up towards allowing investors to come here (an investors visa for example) and work visas for companies sending their employees here and away from cheaper labour and economic migrants who contribute little to the system.

Realistically we need to pull out of the EU before we can even consider anything like what you or most other people are suggesting.

Ea of dune
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Originally Posted by Ea of Dune:
Northumbrian>

Realistically we need to pull out of the EU before we can even consider anything like what you or most other people are suggesting.

Ea of dune

I don't think we need to. EU policy is to have open borders where people can work and study in different countries. Nothing is stated about citizenship. In Spain, for example, you can only be a citizen after 10 years residency, and let's face it - they don't seem willing to give citizenship to British Ex-pats living there.
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Northumbrian> True but if the EU progresses as most people think it will, state citizenship will be replaced with an EU citizenship (check your passport for example it already says European Union at the top on the cover).
I think you folks need a good citizenship policy in place for withdrawal from the EU. I agree around 10 - 12 years is good so good luck to you on the policy.
Let's hope we actually get a chance to debate it in a sovereign parliament one day!

Ea of dune
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I suppose EU citizenship wouldn't be so bad if they stopped immigration from Africa and Asia :-)
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Originally Posted by :
I suppose EU citizenship wouldn't be so bad if they stopped immigration from Africa and Asia

Except we would have no control over our country and the EU could declare war or whatever it liked and there would be jack we could do.


I'm all for excellent trading relationships with our neighbours. I'm all for mutual agreements to prevent illegal immigrants crossing borders, and I would support an idea like NATO or some similar mutual defence pact.

However completly giving our borders, foreign policy, immigration and legislative tools and so forth over to Brussels is so dangerous in my opinion it should be opposed in parliament and at the ballot box.

Ea of dune
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Indeed, and I certainly wouldn't trust them to be in charge of our immigration!
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