Should the UK accept responsibility for its Imperial past by granting Citizenship to the old Empire?

Should the UK automatically grant citizenship to any applicant from a former colony?

Should the UK accept responsibility for its Imperial past by granting Citizenship to the old Empire?
Only if they were born during the time when the country was still a British colony. Other than that I don't see why they should. Those countries wanted their independance, they got it so they should get all the priveldges and disadvantages that come with it.





BTW the USA used to be a British colony. *grins* Do you think the UK should give every American British citizenship as well?
Reply:yes ! India is poor because Britain is rich. A fact that most Britons know but don't like to acknowledge or even believe. Exploiting India for over 300 years, UK evolved into the world's richest Nations. The least they can do is share the riches wit the very people who made them rich.





Britain taught Indians English, and now they are pissed off about their jobs being outsourced to India. The day isn't far
Reply:No, the empire is long gone! The law is that even a child born on British soil (within the UK)does not automatically get British citizenship, unless certain requirements are met. So, why should people who have never stepped foot on British soil have the right and protection of a British passport ?
Reply:One of the great mysteries when it comes to the complaining of immigrants i see. As we all know Britain when it had the empire changed these countries to be like Britain. the way some used to say the people of India became more British than the British themselves. so my point is does saying they have different ideas than they have seem to have forgotten that fact. that Britain changed them countries to be more like Britain than the parts of the area that were not taken over. as for granting citizenship to all from the old empire that would seem a real nightmare to lots of people. considering Britain had such a huge empire it would be a headache to organize really. but do not worry they will call on the aid of the former imperial nations if they were under threat from attack as they done in the past.
Reply:It will be granting citizenship to half the world.


It is not feasible for such a small country.
Reply:NO!
Reply:were you planning to surrender? they outnumber you by a huge margin and are (mostly) poor.





I can see it now -- India temporarily solves its population problem in 2015 by encouraging 100 million of its citizens to move to Britain. Hindi becomes the official language in 2018.
Reply:That would be fine as long as it works both ways. British citizens allowed automatic citizenship to the former colonies
Reply:Erm, no.
Reply:This is not as straightforward as it might appear. Ethically, I feel Britain owes a huge debt to many people in the former colonies - Anzacs, Canadians, etc. and I think people from such places should be allowed to become citizens if they so wish. I find it excrutiatingly embarrassing when the UK makes it so difficult for our traditional allies to enter and work here, but it seems that people from places that have no such ties (and don't even like us) are welcomed in and afforded all sorts of privileges. Unfortunately, the UK consists of a small group of islands, which have a growing population, which in the future will be unsustainable. We no longer have an industrial base and business here consists largely of taking in each others washing. I also think we have made a huge mistake in joining the EU, certainly on the current terms of our membership. Most people in the EU don't seem to like us and personally, I think we would have done better to have remained loyal to our Commonwealth friends and traded more with them. Whether we like it or not, the UK is no longer independent, but has become a poor relation in the United States of Europe. Well, that's my opinion, for what it's worth.
Reply:It's the same ruling classes which built the Empire which is now encouraging mass immigration- it is a continuation of the exploitation-- not a recompense for it.
Reply:No. It is fine how it is now. You can't just let anyone into the country.