Joint Amnesty UK and PRCBC Briefing on New Clause re Good Character for House of Lords Committee

This joint briefing concerns the New Clause tabled by the Lord Bishop of Chelmsford, Baroness Lister of Burtersett, Lord German and Lord Kerr of Kinlochard relating to Good Character and the British Nationality Act 1981. The New Clause concerns changes to the Secretary of State's policy guidance on this matter.

A good character requirement is required for the Secretary of State to fulfil her statutory duty of registration of British citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981. A good character requirement is also required as a precondition of an application to the Secretary of State requesting her to naturalise an adult migrant as a British citizen.

This briefing addresses three principled objections to the changes to policy guidance to which the New Clause relates. The briefing is primarily concerned with rights to British citizenship by registration and the injustice that arises from failing to distinguish these from the separate matter of naturalisation.