I remember vividly the first time that I had to fill in one of those embarkation cards on a plane & was told, in no uncertain terms, that it was wrong to put my nationality as British: the correct answer was UK
I did what I was told. You do not mess with Immigration
So when I thought about it I was a bit surprised that all the talk is now about British citizenship. Surely Lord Goldsmith, as a former Attorney-General should know, & that was what he kept talking about
Is there a difference between nationality & citizenship?
I found out that I was right about having been a UK citizen – or more strictly, a Citizen of the United Kingdom & Colonies, but only up until 1981, when I became a British citizen. I never noticed this change & continued to put UK on immigration/embarkation documents, without anybody telling me different
Out of curiosity I took a close look at my passport
It still says, on the cover: United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
Inside the front cover there is a reference to Her Britannic Majesty
In the Notes it says: British citizens have the right to abode in the United Kingdom, then defines various categories of British nationals who have no right of abode: British Dependent Territories citizens, British nationals (overseas), British Overseas citizens, British protected persons & British subjects
Does this mean that as British Citizens we are no longer subjects of the Queen?
I am confused
But I do hope that the nice lady from the Home Office was right. A long time ago I had cause to ring up to enquire about my status - you can tell it was a long time ago because I just got through very easily. I had been told that I had acquired - or been given - a different citizenship & was therefore no longer British. She assured me that it did not matter what anybody else said, as far as they were concerned I was & shall so remain
Related post: Dulce et decorum
Old joke:
What does British mean?
A Scotsman on the make
