Democratic Audit of the UK: Nationhood and citizenship

An important aspect of inclusiveness, as assessed in this section, concerns  the integration and civic participation of those who are not - or not yet - full citizens. The Migration Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) uses 148 different policy indicators to measure the extent to which public policies promote the integration of legal migrants in a range of countries internationally (currently 33)...the UK's scores fell well below the average for the Nordic countries from 2007 to 2010, with the UK also dropping from just above to just below the EU-15 average. This shift in the UK's score ratings, and its relative ranking, between 2007 and 2010 seems to have come about almost entirely as a consequence of policies aimed at greater management of inward migration, including the citizenship test discussed above. However, the decline in the UK's position was offset to a limited extent by legislative change through the Equality Act 2010...
We are pleased to note that some of the discriminatory features of citizenship laws were corrected during the period under examination. However, we are also concerned by a number of developments identified in this current Audit. First, it would appear that the citizenship test which has been introduced may have a discriminatory effect. Second, we are particularly worried about the resistance that successive UK governments have displayed towards lifting the blanket ban on prisoner voting...We believe this stance should be reversed promptly without further delay; and that the new system introduced should exceed minimum requirements, taking into account European best practice. Finally, we noted an apparent deterioration in the quality of the UK's arrangements for the integration of immigrants, and urge that the reasons for this change should be given more detailed consideration by UK policy-makers.Read more