Should the UK toughen up on it's immigration policies? Should immigrants be able to speak English? This is clipped from today's Guardian:
Citizenship tests for immigrants
The home secretary, David Blunkett, today unveiled plans for compulsory citizenship exams. Mark Oliver looks at the issues thrown up by the evolving government approach to immigrants
Thursday February 7, 2002
What has happened?
Mr Blunkett today launched a package of proposals for new legislation to shake up the asylum system. Launching a white paper, he said he also planned to introduce an oath or "citizens pledge" for applicants to help them embrace British values, laws and customs.
As well as having to take English language lessons, the 60,000 people who apply for British citizenship each year will have to study British politics and culture and take an exam on the ways of British life.
Why is the issue controversial?
Some people claim that the government is trying to foist British culture onto immigrants, potentially at the expense of their own cultures. This debate has been raging for several months - but sharpened in focus today on less-anticipated proposals aimed at trying to curb "sham marriages".
The white paper says: "There has been a tradition of families originating from the Indian subcontinent wanting to bring spouses from arranged marriages to live with them in the UK."
Mr Blunkett said the probation period for new marriages would be doubled to two years in a bid to detect sham relationships. He said the hope was that people in Asian and Muslim communities entered voluntary arranged marriages with people already living in Britain.
He said he hoped he was dealing with the issue sensitively, but the news of the plans drew instant hostility from some sections of the Asian community. In 2000, more than 38,000 people were granted the right to live in the UK through marriage.
What do the critics of the asylum proposals say about them?
Some on the left find the idea of any enforced assimilation into British culture unpalatable. Comparisons have been made between the new plans and Lord Tebbit's notorious "cricket test" - he said that you could not be British but support other countries, such as India or Pakistan, at cricket.
Mr Blunkett, though, said the plans had nothing to do with cricket. He said: "It has to do with an understanding of the society, of the world that you are coming into."
Why does the government place so much importance on the learning of English?
Mr Blunkett said migrants fluent in English were 20% more likely to get work and that this would be encouraged by asking applicants for naturalisation to demonstrate certain standards of English.
The priority, reflected in the proposals, is to establish a way of admitting unskilled migrants into the country to try to stem the trade in illegal immigration. The Blair government is consistently pricked by stories in newspapers, particularly the Daily Mail, decrying Britain's "soft touch" on the asylum issue.
Why are the "culture" classes said to be needed?
The government is keen to promote greater social cohesion among different cultures - a mission redoubled by last summer's riots in northern towns. Mr Blunkett believes that the proposals would help combat racism.
The exact content of the required knowledge of Britain is yet to be defined. Those who complete the classes will also be asked to swear a new oath as part of a citizenship ceremony to mark their new membership of British society.
What would the citizenship ceremonies be like?
On completion of their courses, successful asylum seekers will take part in citizenship ceremonies, broadly like those in the US in style but without the "flag waving", Mr Blunkett said. The ceremonies would be conducted by registration officers at register offices or other community centres or schools.
The home secretary said the ceremonies were necessary so that becoming a British passport holder will not just be a "piece of paper arriving in a brown envelope alongside the gas bill".
The new oath will retain a pledge of allegiance to the Queen and her heirs, but will add: "I will respect the rights and freedoms of the United Kingdom. I will uphold its democratic values. I will observe its laws faithfully and fulfil my duties and obligations as a British citizen."
What else was in the white paper?
The wide-ranging white paper, entitled Secure Borders, Safe Haven, also proposes setting up new "overseas gateways" where genuine asylum seekers can apply without having to make perilous journeys to enter the UK illegally.
It would be open to "certified refugees in the need of protection" and operated with the United Nations high commission for refugees, said Mr Blunkett.
Is there anything in the white paper about asylum holding centres?
Yes. Mr Blunkett reaffirmed his commitment to creating a four tier system of accommodation centres to house asylum seekers.
He pledged a 40% increase in spaces at the controversial secure removal centres - where failed asylum seekers are locked up before being put on a plane home - boosting spaces to 4,000 by next spring.
Posted by Englishman.
Truth exists;only falsehood has to be invented. -Georges Braque