London, Apr 02: British citizenship can be stripped from people with dual nationality who act in a way that is "seriously prejudicial" to the country's interests, the home office said on Tuesday launching a radical overhaul of citizenship, immigration and asylum laws. "If we are to welcome those that aspire to and qualify for British citizenship, we must also ensure that those who acquire it by deception or prove to be abusing the privilege of that citizenship by acting against the UK's vital interests, are not able to retain it," home secretary David Blunkett said in a statement.
As the reforms in the nationality, immigration and asylum act came into force Tuesday, a labour minister called in parliament for the new powers to be used to kick out the radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza.
The Egyptian-born Hamza, vocal in his support of Islamic fundamentalism, has condemned the invasion of Iraq as a "war against Islam", and also claimed the September 11 attacks on the United States were a Jewish plot.
The act also aims to stop failed asylum seekers delaying their removal from Britain by abusing the appeal system, and to crack down on illegal employment by giving immigration officers new powers to enter and search business premises. Bureau Report