§ 10 pm
§ Fiona Mactaggart (Slough)I have the honour to present a petition signed by more than 3,000 supporters of Christian Action for Justice in Immigration Law. I think it is appropriate that I present this petition as the Member of Parliament for Slough. The petitioners are concerned about the divisions in Britain's nationality law that were created and entrenched by the 1968 commonwealth immigrants legislation. Although it was introduced by a Labour Government, the previous Members of Parliament for Eton and Slough, Joan Lestor and Lord Fenner Brockway, voted in this and in another place against that racially discriminatory legislation. The British Nationality Act 1981 continued many of the divisions, and it is still in force today. It introduced the situation that concerns the petitioners whereby children can be born in this country and not be British. The petition states:
§ To the House of Commons
§ The petition of Christian Action for Justice in Immigrations Law, its sponsoring organisations, citizens and residents of the United Kingdom
§ declares that UK immigration legislation has been deliberately framed to be interpreted in a racially discriminatory manner—as evidenced by Cabinet papers of 1955 and 1961—and racial discrimination is now entrenched in the 1981 British Nationality Act;
§ further declares that the building of a truly multi-ethnic Britain demands new and inclusive nationality legislation which redefines national identity to reflect the nature of British society after post-war immigration.
§ The petitioners, therefore, request that the House of Commons urge the Secretary of State for the Home Department to:
- 1. establish a single British nationality with equal rights for all who are our responsibility in international law.
- 2. restore the principle of British citizenship for all those born in the United Kingdom.
§ The petitioners remain etc.
§ To lie upon the Table.