Very interesting case.
Section 40(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981 allows the Secretary of State to deprive someone of their British citizenship if this is conducive to the public good. Generally deprivation happens when the individuals are abroad and appeals are usually heard in front of the Special Immigration Appeals Commissions
From the UN 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness which was ratified by the UK.
Article 8
Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article, a Contract-
ing State may retain the right to deprive a person of his nationality, if at the
time of signature, ratification or accession it specifies its retention of such
right on one or more of the following grounds, being grounds existing in its
national law at that time:
(a) that, inconsistently with his duty of loyalty to the Contracting State, the
person
(i) has, in disregard of an express prohibition by the Contracting State
rendered or continued to render services to, or received or contin-
ued to receive emoluments from, another State, or
(ii) has conducted himself in a manner seriously prejudicial to the vital
interests of the State;
(b) that the person has taken an oath, or made a formal declaration, of alle-
giance to another State, or given definite evidence of his determination
to repudiate his allegiance to the Contracting State.
4. A Contracting State shall not exercise a power of deprivation permitted
by paragraphs 2 or 3 of this Article except in accordance with law, which shall
provide for the person concerned the right to a fair hearing by a court or other
independent body.
It is therefore my opinion that the UK government behaved in accordance with national and international law in removing citizenship from Begum using the reason of national security and the judgment yesterday was sound.
I don't agree with a lot of what the government does but I agree with them here. She is not British and should not be allowed to return here under currentcircumstances.
