CONFIDENTIAL
B. THE NEW CITIZENSHIPS
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mited Keyelm Wheely.
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14. The last Government in the Green Paper concluded that a new scheme of
for the UK citizenships
should reflect the strength of the connection which various groups of people have with the. United Kingdom in the world today; they thought there should be a more meaningful citizenship for those who have close links with the United Kingdom (and who could be expected to identify themselves with British society). They proposed that those holding this new citizenship should be known as British Citizens. The remaining citizens
have
of the United Kingdom and Colonies should become British Overseas Citizens.
dependencür These would included people connected with existing once and those who, when previous colonies, protectorates, etc became independent, retained their citizenship; as well as those who have become Citizens of the United
Kingdom and Colonies in other ways.
15.
Some?
In response to the Green Paper there was [general] support for the idea of two citizenships, although a few correspondents advocated a single British Citizenship with a right of entry to the United Kingdom for everyone who is at present a Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies. Some people suggested that our largest remaining colony, Hong Kong, should have a citizenship of its own. Others were in favour of separate citizenships for smaller colonies.
There were several suggestions for terminology other than that suggested in the Green Paper; for example, the term 'United Kingdom Citizen' rather than 'British Citizen' and 'British National (Citizen of
Bermuda, Gibraltar, etc)' instead of 'British Overseas Citizen'.
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16.
Some
The letters expressed some differing opinions as to where the boundaries especially the of British Citizenship should be drawn. There was, for example, Appreciable Asian United Kingdom support for the view that those Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies Passport Holders
right of overseas who have no ties with or entry to the United Kingdom or an existing dependency) wsually referred to as United Kingdom passport holders (UKPH) - should become British Citizens with a right of entry into the United Kingdom rather than British Overscas Citizens with no such right.
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17. The Government have given very careful consideration to these questions, the answers to which must shape the whole of the proposed Bill. they agree with their predecessors as to the nature and purpose of British
First of all,
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