'Dark day in British history' as small boat arrivals barred from claiming citizenship

New Home Office guidance states that citizenship applications from radical who arrived successful the UK by 'dangerous' routes volition usually beryllium rejected from today, sparking outrage among quality rights groups

People who arrived successful the UK by "dangerous" methods similar small vessel or by hiding connected lorries volition beryllium barred from ever getting UK citizenship, the Government has announced.

The draconian determination has been branded "a acheronian infinitesimal successful British history" by quality rights groups. Under caller Home Office guidance those who entered the state illegally volition usually beryllium refused. This volition beryllium the lawsuit careless of the magnitude of clip they person been successful the country, the caller guidance says. The rules came into effect connected Tuesday.

People who enactment their citizenship exertion successful earlier past volition beryllium assessed to spot whether the "immigration breach" should beryllium disregarded. Kolbassia Haoussou, from foundation Freedom from Torture, said: “Make nary mistake, this is simply a acheronian infinitesimal successful British history. If the Government truly follows done with blocking refugees from getting citizenship, the UK volition beryllium taking a immense measurement backwards.

"Everyone deserves the accidental to settee and afloat integrate into society. I’m a subsister of torture, a British citizen, and I’ve adjacent received an MBE from the precocious Queen. I cognize galore radical who besides privation to lend to Britain, but blocking their quality to go citizens prevents refugees from afloat integrating and flourishing successful their caller communities."

Mr Haoussou, who fled persecution successful his autochthonal Chad, said: "This latest determination is some profoundly disappointing and profoundly damaging to the motivation and taste cloth of this country. We impulse the authorities to instantly reconsider.”

And Enver Solomon, main enforcement of the Refugee Council, said: "This alteration flies successful the look of reason. The British nationalist privation refugees who person been fixed information successful our state to integrate into and lend to their caller communities, truthful it makes nary consciousness for the Government to erect much barriers.

“We cognize that men women and children who are refugees privation to consciousness portion of the state that has fixed them a home, and enactment to rebuild their lives. So galore refugees implicit galore generations person go arrogant hard moving British citizens arsenic doctors, entrepreneurs and different professionals. Becoming a British national has helped them springiness backmost to their communities and this should beryllium celebrated, not prevented. We impulse ministers to urgently reconsider."

British citizenship is unfastened to radical with indefinite permission to stay successful the UK, settled presumption and with indefinite permission to participate the UK. They tin marque the assertion if they person lived successful the UK for 5 years and person had their close to beryllium successful the state established for a twelvemonth oregon more.

The "good character" rules, published by the Home Office, state: "A idiosyncratic who applies for citizenship from 10 February 2025 who has antecedently arrived without a required valid introduction clearance oregon physics question authorisation, having made a unsafe travel volition usually beryllium refused citizenship. A unsafe travel includes, but is not constricted to, travelling by tiny vessel oregon concealed successful a conveyance oregon different conveyance. It does not include, for example, accomplishment arsenic a rider with a commercialized airline."

Nick Beales, caput of campaigning astatine the Refugee & Migrant Forum of Essex and London, told The Mirror: "Labour’s determination to region this close is simply a shameful enactment designed solely to look pugnacious connected migration whilst achieving thing successful practice. These radical volition stay surviving successful the UK indefinitely, but everlastingly denied the close to telephone themselves citizens. This volition harm attempts astatine societal cohesion and makes wide that Keir Starmer’s authorities is conscionable arsenic blessed to prosecute openly racist policies arsenic their Conservative predecessors."

The Mirror has contacted the Home Office for comment.