Citizen Test

[Burbank Lilywhite]

Thoughts on this?

British citizenship tests planned. Mr Brown is due to outline the rights and responsibilities of new citizens. Immigrants who want to become British and settle permanently in the UK will need to pass more tests to "prove their worth" to the country under new plans.

Some migrants may also have to pay into a fund towards public services and have a period of "probationary citizenship". Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the UK should expect a "demonstration of commitment" and the process of becoming a citizen should be "more exacting".

British Citzen Tests Planned

[SoulBamRab]

About time, australia have done this for years haven't they ?

[Smurf]

Sounds like a decent policy..

[Bartok]

Originally Posted by Smurf

Sounds like a decent policy..

Which Scotland does not need. Scotland is economically desperate for immigrants. Let the policy-making be devolved.

In any case I think the concerns of those UK citizens worried about a flood of immigration are now really about the eastern European states, and this policy can do nothing about that whatsoever. It is out of Britain's hands.

[vasco de gama]

How about citizenship tests for everybody? - if you are worthless no mark who has no community values or respect for others then, as in the words of Jacqui Smith, you should be encouraged to "move on" elsewhere.

[Smurf]

Originally Posted by Dixie Chicken

Scotland is economically desperate for immigrants.

Perhaps we'd do better trying to persuade those thinking of leaving Scotland to stay rather than go off to Aussie, USA, Canada etc etc?

Also, we're proving to be very successful within a UK context of getting those elsewhere from Scotland relocating?

[Forzahibs]

Originally Posted by Smurf

Perhaps we'd do better trying to persuade those thinking of leaving Scotland to stay rather than go off to Aussie, USA, Canada etc etc?

Also, we're proving to be very successful within a UK context of getting those elsewhere from Scotland relocating?

I'd still love to know why we are "desperate"
Housing shortages and job shortages makes me think differently .
90 paid off in my place and 3 of them immigrants , this kind of thing can cause problems

[Smurf]

Originally Posted by Forzahibs

I'd still love to know why we are "desperate"
Housing shortages and job shortages makes me think differently .
90 paid off in my place and 3 of them immigrants , this kind of thing can cause problems

Also, we could train up our existing population to fill posts we're apparently falling short in...

[alexi]

But what makes one "british" ?? My grandad came here as a refugee & died one too-he never took British citizenship.Even i (and many others) dont consider ourselves to be British. Seems like a policy to keep the Telegraph readers happy.

And i thought we were subjects of the queen and not citizens.

[Forzahibs]

Originally Posted by Smurf

Also, we could train up our existing population to fill posts we're apparently falling short in...

Obviously i can only see things from a Glenrothes area perspective regarding housing and jobs but i agree with your above point

[Hampden_Hibby]

Originally Posted by vasco de gama

How about citizenship tests for everybody? - if you are worthless no mark who has no community values or respect for others then, as in the words of Jacqui Smith, you should be encouraged to "move on" elsewhere.

Spot on - a social test. If it turns out you're a pasty faced, shell-suited, slack-jawed no mark with a fringe flattened down with chip pan fat and half yer teeth missing and you amazingly only seem to know how to be anti-social then it's a big no from society meaning a good hard slap of the face with a wet lettuce live on TV then slung in a pit.

[GalegoHibs]

Originally Posted by Smurf

Perhaps we'd do better trying to persuade those thinking of leaving Scotland to stay rather than go off to Aussie, USA, Canada etc etc?

Also, we're proving to be very successful within a UK context of getting those elsewhere from Scotland relocating?

How are you going to persuade them? Moving is often a matter of economics and better prospects elsewhere. Migration has been happening since the beginning of time. Why is it that some people think it's okay for Brits to go off to Oz, the States or wherever but not for people to come and work here unless they can pass all these tests? Similarly, I hope those in favour of language testing are consistent and would expect to have to pass language tests before moving to European countries.

[Forzahibs]

Originally Posted by GalegoHibs

How are you going to persuade them? Moving is often a matter of economics and better prospects elsewhere. Migration has been happening since the beginning of time. Why is it that some people think it's okay for Brits to go off to Oz, the States or wherever but not for people to come and work here unless they can pass all these tests? Similarly, I hope those in favour of language testing are consistent and would expect to have to pass language tests before moving to European countries.

Not in plane loads though

[GalegoHibs]

Originally Posted by Forzahibs

Not in plane loads though

Must be quite a few Brit ex-pats in North America and Australia over the years by my reckoning. Even a few on here.

[Forzahibs]

Originally Posted by GalegoHibs

Must be quite a few Brit ex-pats in North America and Australia over the years by my reckoning. Even a few on here.

And a good few foreign nationals over here before the mass immigration started recently so i don't really see your point

[Tibs]

Originally Posted by GalegoHibs

Must be quite a few Brit ex-pats in North America and Australia over the years by my reckoning. Even a few on here.

read somewhere on the news recently that there are about 6 million Brits living abroad, the majority in US, Australia and Spain.

think the current trend is something like, 200,000 leave every year, while about 500,000 immigrants come in

[PILTONSTANY]

Originally Posted by Tibs

think the current trend is something like, 200,000 leave every year, while about 500,000 immigrants come in

That's excellent news,keeps our taxes down and means there's enough working population to have more kids to pay for my pension when i'm older

[vasco de gama]

Originally Posted by Hampden_Hibby

Spot on - a social test. If it turns out you're a pasty faced, shell-suited, slack-jawed no mark with a fringe flattened down with chip pan fat and half yer teeth missing and you amazingly only seem to know how to be anti-social then it's a big no from society meaning a good hard slap of the face with a wet lettuce live on TV then slung in a pit.

mmmm... I might even consider paying the tv license to watch that!

[Colr]

Originally Posted by vasco de gama

How about citizenship tests for everybody? - if you are worthless no mark who has no community values or respect for others then, as in the words of Jacqui Smith, you should be encouraged to "move on" elsewhere.

Now, there's an idea.

We should offer a 2 for 1 deal.

[Bartok]

Originally Posted by Smurf

Perhaps we'd do better trying to persuade those thinking of leaving Scotland to stay rather than go off to Aussie, USA, Canada etc etc?

Possibly, and personally I have to say that the arguments most likely to change my mind would have been to do with the establishment of an independent Scotland.

Also, we're proving to be very successful within a UK context of getting those elsewhere from Scotland relocating?

I dare say, and there have been a couple of small baby booms in the last few years, but Scotland's population continues to decline in size and age as it does so. There is a demographic problem there that was at least recognised by Jack McConnell's administration, whatever else we may say about Jack the Hat.

[Tibs]

Originally Posted by Dixie Chicken

Possibly, and personally I have to say that the arguments most likely to change my mind would have been to do with the establishment of an independent Scotland.

why? out of interest

[Bartok]

Originally Posted by Forzahibs

I'd still love to know why we are "desperate"

The demographic problem in Scotland is a serious one; Scotland's population is ageing rapidly and economic growth is already being restrained by the decline in population.

The number of people aged 65 and older is expected to rise by about 61 per cent from 819,000 in 2003 to 1.3 million by 2042. At the same time the number of people of working age will fall by around 12%, and in the bigger picture the overall population will be 10% lower. It's a recipe for disaster.