Students should pay reduced tuition fees and have part of their debts struck
off if they take part in voluntary work under proposals to enhance
citizenship published yesterday.
The wide-ranging plans also include council tax discounts for people taking
part in community work such as setting up a recycling scheme, a British
national day and reform of treason laws dating back to the 14th century.
Lord Goldsmith, QC, the former Attorney General, also recommended the creation
of a new national day by 2012 in time for the Olympics and the Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee.
Lord Goldsmith’s plans include the creation of a category of “associate
citizenship” for non-European Economic Area (EEA) citizens who do not take
permanent citizenship.
Citizenship would be earned by foreign nationals under a credits-based system,
with extra points for foreigners working in the NHS and deductions for
people convicted of crimes.
The existing citizenship ceremonies, which are undertaken by foreigners
becoming British citizens, should be extended to school-leavers as a form of
“coming of age” event.
This step would help tackle a “diminution in national pride”, and even
encourage young people to vote in elections, he suggested. “It would mark
the passage between being a student of citizenship and an active citizen. I
absolutely expect that there will be scepticism about it,” he said.
“But there was scepticism about the proposal to have citizenship ceremonies
for new applicants and they have gone extremely well.”
Lord Goldsmith ruled out the possibility of compulsory civic service for young
people and also dismissed compulsory voting in elections for all adults.
The new national day could usher in a two-tier honours system as it would
focus on a special Honours list looking exclusively on the achievements of
ordinary people rather than on those of senior figures in public life.
His proposals also include a Deliberation Day on the Saturday before a General
Election, during which events would be held to encourage people to discuss
political and civic issues, a reform of treason laws, loans to migrants
seeking to learn English and a cheaper citizenship fee for those applying
early.
Lord Goldsmith admitted that the UK’s sense of shared history had declined in
recent years. “There was a time in this country when the shared history was
a very strong bond because the people who were here, whether UK-born or
Commonwealth citizens, was part of it.
“We now have people who are Francophone, people from South America and these
shared historical bonds are not so strong,” he said.
He said there was not a crisis of national identity but the research conducted
for his report showed a diminution in national pride, in this sense of
belonging to Britain.
One in ten people rejected all four national identities and one third of black
Caribbeans born in Britain lacked a sense of attachment to the country, the
report said.
Lord Goldsmith said: “It does make sense to promote a sense of shared
belonging, a sense that you are part of a community with a common venture,
to integrate better newcomers to our society and be clearer about what the
rights and responsibilities are.”
Nick Herbert, the shadow justice secretary, said people would see straight
through “synthetic patriotism” and that it was “profoundly unBritish” to
make them swear oaths of allegiance.
Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, said that taking an active role in
society was a better way of creating a sense of belonging for teenagers than
asking people to swear allegiance.
Baroness Kennedy, QC, disagreed with the idea of youngsters taking part in
citizenship ceremonies. “It’s such a misconception about what the whole idea
is of respecting one’s country and feeling proud of one’s country.
“I just think the symbols of a healthy democracy are not to be found in empty
gestures and I’m afraid I see this as an empty gesture.”
She added: “To ask people who are 16 years of age, who have been brought up in
Britain and who already feel that they are part of something to do this, I
think, is a pointless thing.
“I think it’s also very divisive because there is a significant percentage of
the population who would find it very uncomfortable and probably wouldn’t be
very happy about their children making such an oath.”
Head teachers ridiculed the proposal for citizenship ceremonies for
school-leavers. John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School
and College Leaders, said: “This is a half-baked idea, which should be
allowed quietly to go mouldy. Schools will reject it as an unBritish idea
imported from America, which does not fit into their ethos or culture.”
Lord Goldsmith also proposed a citizenship ceremony to be staged every year,
possibly attended by the Prime Minister and a senior member of the Royal
Family, to recognise “outstanding acts of volunteering”; a new National
Citizens’ Corps, whose members would provide advice to others on training
and development for citizenship; and a scheme called Investors in
Communities, which would be earned by companies that allowed staff paid time
off to carry out community work.
Despite a suggestion by Lord Goldsmith in December that some verses of the
National Anthem were inappropriate to modern Britain, he proposed no changes
in yesterday’s report.
— National day to coincide with 2012 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics.
— Coming-of-age citizenship ceremonies for school leavers, with possible
inclusion of oath of allegiance to the Queen or pledge of commitment to
Britain
— Phasing out right of citizens of Commonwealth and Irish Republic to vote in
Westminster elections
— Associate citizenship for nonEEA nationals who do not take full citizenship
—Cut in £655 citizenship fee for early applicants
— Credits-based system for citizenship with extra points for foreigners
working in NHS and loss of points for criminal convictions.
— Council tax discounts, reduction in student tuition fees and help with
repaying student debts for those doing voluntary work.
— A deliberation day on the Saturday before general election for local debates
— Language loans for new immigrants
— Reform of treason laws
— Permission for asylum-seekers to work
Classroom views
Comments from some of the students in year ten at Woodside High School,
Haringey
Thomas Gardiner, 14, half Jamaican, half Scottish
Being a citizen involves abiding by the rules of where you live and trying to
make a difference. I’ve gone through my whole life trying to help and do
things for people and I don’t need no help from the Queen or anyone. And
once you pledge, you gotta do the rest. It’ll keep popping up down the line
and you’ll have to say some more or you’ll have to do something more. I
don’t think it’ll be just one pledge and then it’s done. There will be
repercussions in the future.
Melissa Zerrinciffi, 14, half Kurdish, half Persian
I think most people now, if they say they’re British, it’s not from the heart.
It’s an artificial concept. It means nothing and anyone can call themselves
British without having to take part in a ceremony.
Larissa Saveljeva, 15, Latvian
I moved to Britain three years ago. I didn’t know any English – just one, two,
three, please and thank you. It was a bit of a shock! I think in the future
I would like to really know more about Britain and I will probably feel more
and more British. But right now I still feel like a Latvian. I am very
grateful for Britain, for being able to stay here and have an education, but
I’m just not quite ready for an official oath of allegience yet. It’s about
me and what I want. It’s something personal.
Arez, 15, Iraq
I was born here but my parents are from Iraq. I’ve lived here all my life, I
like this country, it’s given me everything I’ve needed and I feel like a
British citizen, but I still feel more Iraqi than British because at home
I’ve been brought up the way I would have been brought up in Iraq. There are
still some cultural issues in this country. Britain is not integrated enough
yet to say, ‘I pledge allegiance to the Queen’. There’s no real mixed
community. Everyone’s closed in on themselves.
Nathan Broughall, 14, half British, half Irish
I’d definitely choose not to take part in the ceremony. I’ve never met the
Queen and it’s hard to pledge allegiance to somebody you’ve never even
talked to. And if you pledge allegiance then you’re agreeing to the terms
and decisions our Government makes. Being a citizen is just about taking
part in the community and being a good role model.
Jean McVittie, head teacher
I certainly don’t think we will be doing this. Our school is considered the
most multicultural school in London. More than 90 languages are represented
here. We have a school tradition of multiculturalism and it’s important to
respect that. I think this would really affect the harmony.
The existing oath
UK migrants swear an oath of allegiance or make an affirmation:
"I swear by Almighty God that on becoming a British citizen, I will be
faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth Second, her
heirs and successors, according to the law."
The online version
Proposals from Times Online readers yesterday: I pledge allegiance to
the ASBO, the Identity Card and Giro. And the country for which it stands,
One nation, under CCTV, With violence and bingeing for all.
Ben Cooper
I promise that I will honour my country and my flag, I will conduct myself
with dignity and respect and I will uphold the principles of justice, fair
play, freedom and mercy
Andrew Garcarz
I pledge never to doff my cap or tug my forelock to any flag, institution or
person just because they hold a title, rank or office of authority – I
pledge to ask awkward questions – to challenge illiberal laws – and to fight
my corner. I pledge to remind politicians and bureaucrats that they are
public servants and are therefore answerable to the people – I will choose
when and whether to defend this country, its laws and its institutions (and
reserve the right to attack them in word and spirit if I think that they
fail to serve the interests and protect the freedoms of the people) – that
said, if I see a better hole I will go to it
Huw Sayer
Hugo Rifkind swears
I swear to be mildly dismissive of the Royal Family, but cry when one
of them dies
I swear to be drunk at least twice a week from the age of 13, unless I
am more than three months pregnant
I swear to hate my neighbours, on the off-chance that I should ever
meet them
I swear to enter into the Great British Conspiracy whereby we all claim
to find it in no way bizarre that Bruce Forsyth is still on telly.
I swear not to be bovvered. Does this face look bovvered?
I swear to f***ing swear
I swear to be aghast that it costs £230 to get from London to
Manchester by train, but pay it anyway
I swear to watch EastEnders at Christmas
I swear to reluctantly allow my four-year-old daughter to dress as
Britney Spears
I swear to only ever speak English, especially abroad
I swear to have strong views on immigration, while paying my Polish
builders only in cash
It would be easy to say that citizenship ceremonies and especially pledges, are just not what we do in Britain. But just because Americans have turned their pledge of allegiance into a hollow cult, a recitation of words whose meaning the do not understand at all, doesn't mean that this will happen in Britain.
What is most important is to make sure there is an idea of what it is to be British, and to make sure your ceremonies address the basis of that, not just the shell. Thus one doesn't pledge loyalty to the Queen, but to the Nation of which the state is an expression, and to the Queen and her successors as the heads of that state. One pledges loyalty to the particular structure of government as it now is, but to the ideas of peaceful and lawful change and the free and open-minded discussion and interaction among differing racial and religious groups who are loyal to the idea of Britain as a nation of peoples.
I would have no hesitation to take part in such a ceremony.
Christopher Hobe Morrison, Pine Bush, Ulster County, NY, USA
I am British born and bred. Am I proud to be British? Not any more when our coun try is run by MP,S who cheat and steal our money. MP's who take us to war on false pretences and cover up . A system of Judiciary that releases prisoners on to the streets but locks up old gentlemen for not paying their council tax. People who are allowed to go free, after massive benefit fraud but others who make small, genuine mistakes hounded.
Children taken from their families and adopted on the whims of Social Workers without proof of them being at risk and yet allow those where their is evidence of risk to go on to kill.
The list is endless, need I go on.......
Barbara, north east, england
I am British born and bred and have always had regard for the establishment but not any more. Am I proud to be British ?NO
Am I proud of MP's who fiddle expenses at our expense? NO
Am I proud of the Judiciary that puts hardened criminals back on the streets but sends pensioners to prison for not paying Council Tax ?NO
Am I proud of a Benefits System that allows major fraud to go virtually unpunished without automatic expulshion back to place of origin? NO
Am I proud of Social Workers who protect children from loving parents where there is no risk but allow others to be killed because they are not protected even though the risk is known ?NO
Am I proud of a government that takes us to war on false pretences ?NO
Do I wish I could afford to live elsewhere? Yes
Barbara, north east, england
Being British is knowing how without a fuss !!!
Ian Payne, WALSALL,
How do people have time for voluntary work. Thanks to chronic under-funding of universities in relation to the massive increase in students I work seven days a week for ten or more hours a day. And now I will have to pay more tax than people who can take time off? How is that legitimate?
John Scott, London,