Mr. Allanach was wonderful enough to bring attention to our situation through his own site. In the most eloquent of ways too. I am most appreciative for his effort in getting the message out about the issue of UK citizenship equality (or rather, the lack of it), and eternally grateful to him for linking the petition as well.
His full post can be found here.
To add another twist in Gary's Churchill angle, Winston's mum, Jenny Jerome, once lived not too far from my current residence. I pass by Madison and 26th Street, former spot of the famous "Jerome Mansion", almost everyday.
So, thanks Gary. Or, Woliwon!
February 17, 2010
February 10, 2010
Harriet Harman & the (In)Equality Bill
Let us not forget that just over six months ago, MP Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, sat silent during the Borders bill while the clause to remove the 2006 cut-off date for children born to unmarried British fathers was unceremoniously thrown out. Now, Ms. Harman wants to promote the Equality Bill every chance she can get.
To this I ask, where was all your enthusiasm and support for gender and age equality six months ago?
I follow @BevaniteEllie on Twitter. I like Ellie, but I think she's easily taken in by the Labour party's pro-equality stance. So, when Ellie waxed poetic about Harman's speech to Compass on tackling inequality, I could not resist posting a response to her blog:
Naturally, Ms. Gellard did not respond. This, despite her affirmation to me that she doesn't think Labour is perfect. I really hope she steps up to the plate and points out the opportunities her own party should be taking with regards to equality. Afterall, she does have a lot of Labour connections and should be using them to make the party a fairer political machine.
It's hard to tell if the Equality Bill will fall into the immigration category of UK law and put an end to this discrimination madness. Ms. Harman is still not answering my queries regarding this.
**I was incorrect. Those registering for citizenship through their British mothers do not need to take the citizenship test, but do need to pay a fee and adhere to the good character requirement.
To this I ask, where was all your enthusiasm and support for gender and age equality six months ago?
I follow @BevaniteEllie on Twitter. I like Ellie, but I think she's easily taken in by the Labour party's pro-equality stance. So, when Ellie waxed poetic about Harman's speech to Compass on tackling inequality, I could not resist posting a response to her blog:
"But we inherited a vast legacy of inequality which dated back to a Conservative right wing government in the 1980’s and the legacy is still there in people’s lives today."
This quote, from Ms. Harman's speech to Compass last month, does not begin to illustrate how much inequality is still allowed to exist today in Britain. Despite Harman's protests, Labour has avoided many opportunities to correct historical wrongs in both 2002 and more recently, in 2009.
The Nationality, Immigration, & Asylum Act 2002, finally allowed children born outside of the UK to British parents to acquire British citizenship by descent. However, the government chose to institute a series of discriminatory cut-off dates. Children of British mothers were cut-off from obtaining citizenship if they were born before 1961.
Illegitimate children of British fathers were cut-off if they were born prior to 2006. The amount of family members split apart by these rulings was staggering. The problem here (aside from the absolute insane inequality) was you now had families where the older children were completely denied their citizenship rights, whilst the younger siblings were now able to obtain their UK passports.
In 2009, the Borders, Citizenship, & Immigration Bill removed the 1961 cut-off date for children born to British mothers. This was only after years of protest. Unlike all other children, they still don't have a right to citizenship, it's a privilege. They must pay 540GBP to register their births, **take the citizenship test, and adhere to the good character requirements. Mind you, any child born to a "married" British father, or born after 1983 to a British mother, is excluded from such requirements.
Still, illegitimate children born before 2006 were subjected to the same inequality pushed on them by Labour in 2002. I should remind supporters of the Labour party that it was members of the Liberal Democrats who introduced a clause to the Borders Bill to end all citizenship discrimination of illegitimate children. It wasn't even part of the original bill. Labour actively sought to remove the clause, and were successful, making Harman's Compass speech all the more absurd. Harman was present at the 2009 debates.
You don't single people out because of gender, or the year in which they were born and then stand behind an Equality Bill. If Labour successfully removed a clause that sought to remove both gender and age discrimination a little over six months ago, do you really believe their current support for the Equality Bill is genuine? Is the support of this bill just a front to win the election? If not, then why the change of heart in such a short period of time?
If Harman stayed silent about inequality a little over six months ago, why was she so enthusiastic at Compass about removing age and gender inequality? I seriously doubt the Equality Bill will be used in the future to address the current inequalities in citizenship for children of British parents, especially given Labour's reluctance to make gains in the past seven years when the opportunity was there to make such changes.
Harman's lack of follow up to my queries on the above issue of discrimination against illegitimate children only proves that her speech was lip service. Discrimination is alive and well, and will continue to thrive, unless Labour and her supporters take a long, hard look at human rights and demand a fairer Britain."
Naturally, Ms. Gellard did not respond. This, despite her affirmation to me that she doesn't think Labour is perfect. I really hope she steps up to the plate and points out the opportunities her own party should be taking with regards to equality. Afterall, she does have a lot of Labour connections and should be using them to make the party a fairer political machine.
It's hard to tell if the Equality Bill will fall into the immigration category of UK law and put an end to this discrimination madness. Ms. Harman is still not answering my queries regarding this.
**I was incorrect. Those registering for citizenship through their British mothers do not need to take the citizenship test, but do need to pay a fee and adhere to the good character requirement.
My Question Made Liberty Central
Sponsored by the Guardian, in "Liberty Central" forum, once a week, Liberty's lawyers answer human rights questions. On January 21, 2010, it was my opportunity to have our question answered.
Check it out:
Why can't I claim British citizenship?
The verdict? Liberty's response was basically full of law speak that went in circles and with not enough naming and shaming, though I'm glad they pointed out how suspicious the government's stance was, calling this blatant discrimination "distasteful". Still, the information they provided about taking our case to the European Court of Human Rights offered a glimpse of hope, even if it would be more beneficial for an unmarried British father to plead their case in front of Strasbourg, and not a child born out of wedlock.
To this, I ask - Dads, do we have any takers out there?
Check it out:
Why can't I claim British citizenship?
The verdict? Liberty's response was basically full of law speak that went in circles and with not enough naming and shaming, though I'm glad they pointed out how suspicious the government's stance was, calling this blatant discrimination "distasteful". Still, the information they provided about taking our case to the European Court of Human Rights offered a glimpse of hope, even if it would be more beneficial for an unmarried British father to plead their case in front of Strasbourg, and not a child born out of wedlock.
To this, I ask - Dads, do we have any takers out there?
Catch Me...
on Twitter! I'm getting the word out about citizenship discrimination, the petition, and causing all sorts of trouble. Mind you, I'm strictly non-partisan about this issue, so every political party is subject to the same exact encouragement and scrutiny. Feel free to take a look, but do leave your party loyalties at the door.
Thank You, Guy Siner
Actor Guy Siner, who played Lieutenant Hubert Gruber in the "'Allo 'Allo!" movies, and more recently, the Harbormaster in "Pirates of the Caribbean", has graciously agreed to sign the petition to end citizenship discrimination against children born to unmarried British fathers.
A little known fact about Siner is that he too was a victim of citizenship discrimination. Born in the United States to a British mother, Siner was not able to obtain his British citizenship through his mother. Until 2002, children born outside the UK, before 1983 to British mothers, could not register their births and get a UK passport. The law changed in 2002, but still had a cut-off date of 1961. Last year, the cut-off date was removed and on January 13, 2010 every single child born outside the country was eligible to register their births.
I should remind you that we are now officially the last group without a path to British citizenship. Let us remember how much those in the House of Commons and the House of Lords detest illegitimate children and their fathers.
A little known fact about Siner is that he too was a victim of citizenship discrimination. Born in the United States to a British mother, Siner was not able to obtain his British citizenship through his mother. Until 2002, children born outside the UK, before 1983 to British mothers, could not register their births and get a UK passport. The law changed in 2002, but still had a cut-off date of 1961. Last year, the cut-off date was removed and on January 13, 2010 every single child born outside the country was eligible to register their births.
I should remind you that we are now officially the last group without a path to British citizenship. Let us remember how much those in the House of Commons and the House of Lords detest illegitimate children and their fathers.
A New Year, A New Goal
Happy belated New Year! I wish you and yours a happy and healthy 2010. While I don't believe in resolutions, I do believe in fresh starts, and one of them begins here. For 2010, I want to step this site up a bit, freshen things up, and give it a scrub down.
First off, my apologies for getting back to a few of you so late. When I started this blog, I didn't know where exactly to take it, or where it would go. My original intentions were to document this discrimination and put it all out there for everyone to see. And so it sat there, for anybody to stumble upon. Through my site meter, I discovered that this site came up often during searches for citizenship information. I saw IP addresses from all over the world and...a few times from the Houses of Parliament (ahem). My focus then began to shift to the political.
So, this is the year I call out to various media and force the issue of discrimination against children born to unmarried British father down the throats of the people. Who knows what will happen, but I hope the end result is ultimately, a fair path to citizenship for those of us affected by this horribly unfair law.
Watch this space...
First off, my apologies for getting back to a few of you so late. When I started this blog, I didn't know where exactly to take it, or where it would go. My original intentions were to document this discrimination and put it all out there for everyone to see. And so it sat there, for anybody to stumble upon. Through my site meter, I discovered that this site came up often during searches for citizenship information. I saw IP addresses from all over the world and...a few times from the Houses of Parliament (ahem). My focus then began to shift to the political.
So, this is the year I call out to various media and force the issue of discrimination against children born to unmarried British father down the throats of the people. Who knows what will happen, but I hope the end result is ultimately, a fair path to citizenship for those of us affected by this horribly unfair law.
Watch this space...
November 19, 2009
Sign the Petition!
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/citizenshipnow/
We have created an e-petition on Number 10's website. If you are a resident of the UK, or a British citizen anywhere in the world, please show your support for human rights and sign the petition.
Our goal is to get over 500 signatures, which are needed for the Prime Minister's office to respond to this discrimination.
We have created an e-petition on Number 10's website. If you are a resident of the UK, or a British citizen anywhere in the world, please show your support for human rights and sign the petition.
Our goal is to get over 500 signatures, which are needed for the Prime Minister's office to respond to this discrimination.
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