EXCLUSIVE: ‘Racist’ and 'Two-tier' Citizenship-Stripping Law 'Justified' by Government

In a letter seen by Zeteo UK, a Home Office minister acknowledges that the power to strip Britons of citizenship disproportionately affects ethnic minorities, but says unequal treatment is justified

According to experts, people of colour are 12 times as likely to be at risk from the citizen-stripping law as their white peers. Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

A Home Office minister has acknowledged that Britain’s powers to strip people of their British citizenship disproportionately affect ethnic minorities — but insisted the unequal treatment is “justified” — in a letter obtained exclusively by Zeteo UK.

The admission came after ministers were challenged over claims that Britain’s citizenship deprivation laws are “racist”, “cruel” and create a “two-tier citizenship regime”.

Rather than disputing that the powers disproportionately affect ethnic minorities, the government defended the unequal impact as necessary to protect public safety and national security.

In the letter, Home Office minister Alex Norris accepts that the laws impact ethnic minorities but says that citizenship “is a privilege”.