LONDON, 1 November 2005 — American-style citizenship tests and loyalty ceremonies become compulsory in Britain today following yesterday’s soft launch by UK Immigration Minister Tony McNulty of the “Britishness Test”, officially called “Life in the UK Test”.
Foreigners who apply for British citizenship through naturalization must take the test and pass at least three-quarters of the 24 questions set in the computer-based multiple-choice exam, which costs 34 pounds to enter.
McNulty stressed that “becoming a British citizen is a milestone event in an individual’s life. The measures we are introducing will help new citizens to gain a greater appreciation of the civic and political dimension of British citizenship and, in particular, to understanding the rights and responsibilities that come with the acquisition of British citizenship.”
Critics and minority groups have complained that the test is too tough even for many people born and raised in the UK, let alone those who come over from abroad. The British have never made a spectacle out of their nationalism, nor gone down the road of institutionalizing it. Flying the flag in a chauvinistic way is usually the domain of the far right neo-fascist groups such as the British National Party and the National Front.
The Test curriculum was set by a Home Office panel chaired by Professor Sir Bernard Crick and has been piloted in centers throughout the country with 6,000 people already having sat the test. Last year a record 141,000 people were granted UK citizenship, a rise of 12 percent on the previous year.
According to the Home Office, almost 60 percent of people born abroad living in the UK take British citizenship within six years, People born in Asian or African countries account for 40 percent and 32 percent respectively of all citizenship applications, the principal nationalities being Pakistani, Indian and Somali.
The “Life in the UK” test was first mooted by former Home Secretary David Blunkett. Following the 7/7 suicide bombings on the London transport system which claimed 56 lives and the botched attempts on July 21, the importance of espousing British democratic values especially among Muslims living in Britain was once again propelled on the public agenda. The problem is that the suicide bombings were carried out by young Britons born and bred in this country.
The question of what it is to be British and how to engage and help foreigners integrate and share in British values and traditions assumed greater political importance, especially amongst New Labour ministers.
Prospective new citizens already need to demonstrate sufficient working knowledge of English to help them get on. The Home Office has also produced a “Life in the UK citizenship guide” for prospective new citizens that includes information on British history and society, its institutions and political system — and also practical issues key to integration such as employment, health care, education and using public services like libraries.
Sample questions include: Where are the Geordie, Cockney, and Scouse dialects spoken? What are MPs? What is the Church of England and who is its head? Which of these courts uses a jury system: magistrates’ court, crown court, youth court or county court? What voltage is the UK electricity supply: 750 volts, 60 volts, 110 volts or 240 volts? Put the UK saints’ days in calendar order. In what year was the right to vote granted to all 18-year-olds?
