Hier 34011
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23 OCT 10S CONFIDENTIAL
PS/Lord
PS/Lord/Trefgarne
Pas 23/10
MrShift
pa.
221/10
(Not used)
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434
BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL : DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
Arguments for Reversal of Gibraltar Amendment
1. From the point of view of all Dependent Territories the Gibraltar amendment destroys uniformity of the CBDT category. It gives a privilege to one group of CBDTS and provides ammunition for the accusation that there are 'second-class citizens'.
2. Admittedly, without finally committing HMG, we have all along given the impression to the other Dependent Territories that HMG would make every effort to reverse the Gibraltar amendment. *
3.
Hong Kong and the other Dependent Territories have not obtained any compensating concession which would offset the damage done by the Gibraltar amendment. Acceptance of Lord Geddes' proposal for 'British Dependent Territories Citizen' will only be regarded as a sop.
4.
Even if Whip's calculation is that the Government is likely to lose in the Commons, it would be better to go down fighting against the amendment. This would be consistent with the Government statements so far and would be seen in Hong Kong and elsewhere as an attempt to return the situation to that in the summer when the provisions of the Nationality Bill had been accepted by them.
5.
Whatever happens there is bound to be some continuing discontent in Hong Kong about the Bill. We can more convincingly argue that HMG had to bow to democratic parliamentary pressures if the Gibraltar amendment has actually been put to a vote than if the decision is left to a calculation of the voting beforehand.
Bir in
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
20 October 1981
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Mr Howells, NTD
Mr Fearn, SAmD
Mr Daunt, SED Mr Adams
Mr Donald
*The Falklands would be particularly angy at a change of tack. (See Mr Howells' separate minute
and draft of today's date).
CONFIDENTIAL
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