UK gives way on nationality bill
Bowing to pressure from opposition parties, ethnic groups and churches, the British Government has decided to make two major changes to the Nationality, Bill, now before Parliament.
The bill will create three different categories of British citizenship, only one of which carry the right to live in the United Kingdom.
Some groups have condemned the proposal as racist. Ethnic groups have said it would add to the insecurity felt by Britain's two million non-Whites.
Under its original provisions, a child born abroad to a parent who is naturalised, but not born British, would not automatically acquire British citizenship.
The Home Office said in a statement that this cause would be altered. In general, it said, naturalised British citizens would be able to transmit their citizenship to children born abroad.
The Home Office said another provision, that a child born in Britain to non-Britain parents would not acquire British citizenship as of right, would be relaxed. It would be amended so that any child born here could acquire citizenship after 10 year's continuous residence.