Political

Home Office denies citizenship to Lib Dem councillor and ex-Mayor

Ipswich councillor Inga Lockington (Lib Dem) has been a local councillor for 19 years, served as the town’s Mayor, a county councillor in addition for 17 years and a resident of the UK for 39 years.

None of that, however, is enough to persuade the Home Office, still in the throes of Theresa May’s hostility to immigration:

Former Ipswich mayor Inga Lockington has had her application for British citizenship turned down by the Home Office – because officials will not accept that she is a UK resident…

She married Dr Tim Lockington in 1979 and has lived in this country ever since.

She had not applied for UK citizenship until now because as an EU citizen she had the right to live here – and until two years ago Denmark had laws which said she would lose the citizenship of her homeland if she became a naturalised Briton…

The Home Office letter says: “As you have not provided a document certifying permanent residence or a permanent residence card issued by the Home Office, we cannot be satisfied that you were permanently resident in the United Kingdom no the date of your application for naturalisation and it has been refused.”

Mrs Lockington said there was no need for EU citizens to have a permanent residence card. [Ipswich Star]

It is a tribute to her popularity and role in the local community that politicians from across the political spectrum have attacked the decision. Labour MP Sandy Martin said, “OMG. This is bonkers!” whilst Conservative Liz Harsant, former leader of Ipswich Council, asked, “Whatever is the Home Office thinking of?”

One response to “Home Office denies citizenship to Lib Dem councillor and ex-Mayor”

  1. Just one more example of Mrs May’s mean, heartless, failing Tory Government; yet she and they still leads in all the polls.

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