Britain urged to let BN(O) passport holders become citizens

Name: Tear gas fired as thousands protest Beijing’s planned national security law for Hong Kong
Uploaded: 2020-05-25T14:46:37.000Z
Duration: 4 min 52 s
Description: Tear gas fired as thousands protest Beijing’s planned national security law for Hong Kong

Top British legal figure says there’s no legal reason to stop Britain from granting people with the status the right of abode

Call comes after national security law resolution presented to China’s legislation, prompting protests in the city

Reading Time:2 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

Protesters take to the streets in Hong Kong on Sunday in opposition to the proposed national security law. Photo: Sam Tsang

Stuart Lau

Published: 10:46pm, 25 May 2020Updated: 12:24pm, 2 Feb 2021

Britain is under renewed pressure to grant citizenship to Hong Kong holders of BN(O) passports and to raise the issue of China’s proposed national security law during the Group of Seven summit.

The calls come after a resolution to “prevent, frustrate and punish” threats to national security in Hong Kong was presented to China’s top legislature. It is expected to be passed on Thursday, authorising the National People’s Congress Standing Committee to craft a national security law and impose it on Hong Kong.

Thousands of people took the streets in the city on Sunday in protest against the resolution despite attempts by mainland Chinese officials to ease concerns about its impact on local freedoms.

On Sunday, Conservative Member of Parliament Bob Seely sent British Home Secretary Priti Patel legal advice in support of granting British citizenship to holders of British National (Overseas) passports.

In the advice, Laurie Fransman QC, a British nationality lawyer, said: “I endorse the observations … that there is no legal reason preventing the UK government from granting the right of abode in the UK to BN(O)s now.”

04:52

Tear gas fired as thousands protest Beijing’s planned national security law for Hong Kong

The right of abode is the prerequisite for obtaining citizenship.