In London, proposals were published by a special commission on 'Britishness,' chaired by former Attorney General Lord Peter Henry Goldsmith. After more than a year of work, the commission put forward a number of proposals aimed at helping integrate migrants and raising the level of British self-awareness.
Thus, migrants will be offered unpaid community work to improve life in their own cities. Points will be awarded for participation. Only after reaching a certain level will immigrants be able to apply for British citizenship. Some activities will earn more points – for example, if migrants work as doctors, nurses, or orderlies in the National Health Service, a state agency. However, points can also be deducted – for example, for criminal offenses (which in Britain include late payment of local taxes or drunk driving).
In addition, the Goldsmith commission proposed introducing the concept of 'associate citizenship' for citizens from non-EU countries who would not receive full citizenship. This proposal was met with hostility by groups supporting immigrant rights. 'Essentially, this is about second-class citizenship, which we see in countries like Latvia. This is unacceptable. Citizenship can only be one – either a person is a citizen or not. For those foreigners who for some reason do not want to take British citizenship, there is already a mechanism for permanent residence. Why invent an analogue, but with a different name and discriminatory character?' Shami Chakraborty, director of the human rights organization Liberty, told Expert.
Immigrants who want to obtain British citizenship are already required to prove their knowledge of the language and customs of Britain. Thus, to apply for permanent residence, foreigners must first pass the 'Life in the United Kingdom' test, which checks their knowledge of the country's history, culture, and daily life. The exam questions include knowledge of British kings, dynasties, and wars, as well as practical skills such as opening a bank account or paying utility bills. After passing the exam, new citizens must swear allegiance to the country and the Queen.
However, the proposals of the Goldsmith commission are not limited to immigrants. The lord proposes introducing a national holiday – Britain Day. The first Britain Day is to be held in 2012, coinciding with the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II (she ascended the throne in 1952) and the Summer Olympics in London. The holiday will be based on Australia Day, during which citizens of that country celebrate the achievements of their state.
The Goldsmith commission also proposed raising national self-awareness in schools. Today, British secondary schools teach the subject 'citizenship education.' The lord deemed this insufficient and proposed that all graduates of British schools, both private and public, swear allegiance to the Queen. According to the commission, this would become a 'certificate of maturity' for young Britons who today do not fully feel like citizens of their country and do not understand the advantages that citizenship brings. 'It makes sense to promote a sense of common belonging, a sense that we are part of a community with a single purpose, to integrate new members of society better and deeper, and to present our rights and responsibilities more clearly,' Lord Goldsmith said when presenting his proposals.
These ideas were also criticized. Nick Clegg, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, noted that involving young people in public life is a more effective way to create a sense of belonging than simply taking an oath. John Dunford, head of the Association of School Leaders, said it was a raw idea that should not be implemented in practice. 'This is an attempt to bring in an American tradition that does not fit with British practice and culture.'
However, the most serious criticism of Goldsmith was heard outside England, where 80% of the country's population lives. Politicians in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland announced they would block the implementation of the proposals in practice. Alex Salmond, leader of the Scottish National Party (and head of the Scottish regional government), said his government would use powers obtained through devolution to prevent such ceremonies. A number of Irish politicians in Northern Ireland said the proposals to swear allegiance to the Queen and the United Kingdom would be 'polarizing and dangerous.'
Interestingly, the attempt to implement the idea of 'Britishness' became one of the characteristic features of the reign of Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since June 2007. Being a Scot, he actively promotes a national idea for the entire country. In this, he repeats the actions of other Scots who tried to counter the cultural dominance of the English in the United Kingdom. Thus, John Bull, the national British archetypal character (similar to the Russian Ivan or German Hans) was invented by the Scot John Arbuthnot in 1712, just five years after the official union of England and Scotland into one state. The music for the national British anthem 'God Save the Queen' was written by Scottish composer James Oswald in the 1760s. Now Gordon Brown is trying to go down in history as a Scot under whom Britain Day began to be celebrated in the United Kingdom.
Alexander KOKSHAROV. 