Inside Story

UK bill: Passport to statelessness?

Proposed law would give government more power to strip terror suspects of citizenship.

The UK has passed a controversial amendment to its Immigration Bill that could be used to strip foreign-born Britons of their citizenship.

It is now one step away from becoming law and would allow the government to revoke the passports of naturalised citizens whose conduct is deemed to be seriously prejudicial to the UK’s interests.

Opponents say that two safeguards added to the bill still will not prevent suspects from being made permanently stateless. Legal experts also question whether this could breach international laws.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for the home office, stressed the powers will be used with caution. Speaking in the House of Lords, he said: “The home secretary would reach a decision only after very careful consideration of the facts of an individual case. 

She will reach a decision based on whether she reasonably believes the person has recourse to another nationality under the law of another country.”

So a necessary measure to protect security, or a law that is open to abuse? And do those who are only suspected of crimes risk becoming abandoned and forgotten?

Presenter:  Adrian Finighan

Guests: 

Clare Algar – executive director of Reprieve.

Robin Simcox – a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society

Saghir Hussain – a lawyer who represents Mahdi Hashi, a Somali-born citizen whose British citizenship was revoked in 2012