E.R.
CONFIDENTIAL
bodics, to consider the effect of possible changes and make their
views known before decisions are taken.
The document goes into a good deal of detail and is inevitably
complicated. The main ideas canvassed in it are summarised in the
following paragraphs, which in turn refer to the numbered paragraphs
in the main text.
Two new Citizenships
II. THE POSSIBLE CHANGES
In paragraphs 12-14A it is suggested that the present citizenship
of the United Kingdom and Colonies might be replaced by two citizenships
a
British Citizenship for those who have close ties with this country,
-British
and a British Overseas Citizenship which would be held by the remainder
of those persons who are now citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies.
People who would become British Citizens
It is suggested that British Citizenship should be conferred, in
general, on those citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who were
born, naturalised or registered here; on those who hold that citizenship
by descent and have the right of entry; and on those citizens of the
United Kingdom and Colonies and British Protected Persons from
dependencies or former dependencies (including those form East Africa)
and British subjects without citizenship, who have settled in this
country for a specified period (paragraphs 16-23).
from
and only
It would be the intention that British Citizens
British Citizens - should have an unqualified right of free entry to
the United Kingdom; but there are some people who now have such a
right who would not become British Citizens under these proposals,
and there are arguments for allowing them to retain this right for
their lifetimes (paragraphs 24-27).
T