Clause 1 - Naturalisation:
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill
Public Bill Committees, 30 April 2002, 5:00 pm
Mr Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle, Conservative)
Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the prime motivation for most people who come to this country is not that they are fans of Great Britain who have read about it and want to come here and be citizens? In fact, they invariably, and certainly in the case of asylum seekers, are fleeing persecution or a country that offers them no opportunity or future. The choice of Britain is often a negative rather than a positive one. Asylum seekers and many economic migrants come here not because they are keen to come to Britain but first and foremost because they feel an overwhelming urge to get out of their country of origin, in which they were born, in order to improve their lot and that of their families.