THIS DOCUMENT I S THE PROPERTY OF H I S B R I T ANISIC M A J E S T Y ' 3
jLIJLJLJLI
CP.
GOVERNMENT)
COPY NO.
^0
120
(h.8)
Uth May,
1 9I48.
CABINET
B R I T I S H NATIONALITY
BILL
M e m o r a n d u m b y t h e Home S e c r e t a r y a n d t h e S e c r e t a r y
S t a t e f o r Commonwealth. R e l a t i o n s
of
T h i s B i l l , which i s a w a i t i n g Second Reading in t h e
H o u s e o f L o r d s , p r o v i d e s t h a t a l l p e r s o n s who a r e c i t i z e n s o f t h e
U n i t e d Kingdom a n d C o l o n i e s , o r c i t i z e n s of C a n a d a ,
Australia,
New Z e a l a n d , S o u t h A f r i c a , N e w f o u n d l a n d , I n d i a , P a k i s t a n , S o u t h e r n
R h o d e s i a , and C e y l o n , s h a l l , by v i r t u e of t h e i r
respective
c i t i z e n s h i p s , be B r i t i s h s u b j e c t s .
It also provides that
c i t i z e n s of E i r e , a l t h o u g h n o t B r i t i s h s u b j e c t s , s h a l l , i n t h e
U n i t e d Kingdom and C o l o n i e s , b e in a p o s i t i o n u n d e r e x i s t i n g
l e g i s l a t i o n e q u i v a l e n t t o t h a t of B r i t i s h
subjects.
I n o h a h a v e a s k e d t h a t i n p l a c e of t h e ' t e r m " B r i t i s h
s u b j e c t s ' , which i s in t h e i r view open t o m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g ,
there
s h o u l d be s u b s t i t u t e d some t e r m s u c h a s "Commonwealth c i t i z e n s "
o r " c i t i z e n s of t h e Commonwealth".
1
2.
The p e o p l e of many c o u n t r i e s of t h e Commonwealth a r e
proud t o b e d e s c r i b e d as B r i t i s h s u b j e c t s , and c o u l d not be a s k e d
t o abandon t h i s t i t l e .
To t h e p e o p l e , h o w e v e r , of c e r t a i n
o t h e r Commonwealth c o u n t r i e s , t h e term " B r i t i s h s u b j e c t " has an
e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t s i g n i f i c a n c e and seems to i n d i c a t e t h e
c o n t i n u e d d o m i n a t i o n of t h e m b y t h e i n h a b i t a n t s of t h e B r i t i s h
Isles.
There are obvious objections to compelling the countries
where t h e term " B r i t i s h s u b j e c t " i s unwelcome t o a c c e p t
this
l a b e l a s a c o n d i t i o n of r e m a i n i n g w i t h i n t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h .
The
B i l l r e c o g n i s e s t h e d e s i r e of t h e p e o p l e of E i r e t o r i d t h e m s e l v e s
of t h e l a b e l " B r i t i s h s u b j e c t " , a n d i t s e e m s r i g h t t o g i v e t h e
p e o p l e of o t h e r Commonwealth c o u n t r i e s l i b e r t y t o d e s c r i b e
t h e m s e l v e s , i f t h e y so w i s h , by some t e r m o t h e r t h a n " B r i t i s h
subject".
T h i s c a n b e n o n e b y i n s e r t i n g i n t h e B i l l an
a l t e r n a t i v e term and providing t h a t t h e a l t e r n a t i v e term s h a l l
huve t h e same m e a n i n g a s " B r i t i s h s u b j e c t " . ­
p.
The s u g g e s t i o n h a s been put t o t h e o l d e r Dominions t h a t
p r o v i s i o n b e made i n t h e B i l l f o r t h e u s e of t h e t e r m
"Commonwe a I t h c i t i z e n " o r " c i t i z e n o f t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h " a s a n
a l t e r n a t i v e t o the term " B r i t i s h s u b j e c t " .
There is natural
r e l u c t a n c e on t h e p a r t o f s o m e D o m i n i o n G o v e r n m e n t s t o a c c e p t
t h i s c h a n g e , b u t t h e r e p l i e s a s y e t r e c e i v e d do n o t e x c l u d e t h e
p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t i f an a l t e r n a t i v e p h r a s e w e r e i n s e r t e d in t h e
U n i t e d Kingdom B i l l , - t h e o t h e r s e l f - g o v e r n i n g - c o u n t r i e s m i g h t b e
persuaded to follow s u i t .
I t would be very d e s i r a b l e t h a t
e v e r y Commonwealth c o u n t r y s h o u l d do t h e s a m e , b u t t h e r e i s no
c o m p e l l i n g n e c e s s i t y f o r u n i f o r m i t y in t h i s p a r t i c u l a r .
The
p r o v i s i o n i n t h e U n i t e d Kingdom B i l l f o r t h e u s e of an a l t e r n a t i v e
p h r a s e n e e d n o t "be d e p e n d e n t o n t h e c o n c u r r e n c e o f e a c h o f
the self-governing countries.
-Thus i t would bo q u i t e f e a s i b l e
f o r some c o u n t r i e s t o l e g i s l a t e i n t e r m s of
"British"subject"
o n l y and f o r o t h e r c o u n t r i e s t o l e g i s l a t e i n terras of
"Commonwealth c i t i z e n " o r " c i t i z e n of t h e Commonwealth" o n l y ,
w h i l s t o t h e r s l i k e t h e U n i t e d Kingdom c o u l d r e c o g n i s e b o t h
e x p r e s s i o n s in t h e i r l e g i s l a t i o n .
The e s s e n c e of t h e
l e g i s l a t i o n in each s e l f - g o v e r n i n g country would be to the
e f f e c t t h a t i t s c i t i z e n s a n d t h e c i t i z e n s of a l l o t h e r c o u n t r i e s
should in the l e g i s l a t i n g country be " B r i t i s h s u b j e c t s " or,
a s t h e c a s e may b e , " C o m m o n w e a l t h c i t i z e n s " :
and t h e
l e g i s l a t i o n m i g h t i n a d d i t i o n p r o v i d e f o r t h e r e c o g n i t i o n of
both expressions as a l t e r n a t i v e s .
h*
A u s t r a l i a f e e l s p a r t i c u l a r d i f f i c u l t y in a c c e p t i n g
t h e term "Commonwealth c i t i z e n " o r " c i t i z e n of t h e Commonwealth"
because such terras are l i a b l e in A u s t r a l i a to be i n t e r p r e t e d
a s m e a n i n g a c i t i z e n of t h e Commonwealth of A u s t r a l i a .
To
m i t i g a t e t h i s d i f f i c u l t y t h e only a l t e r n a t i v e term h i t h e r t o
s u g g e s t e d h a s b e e n " c i t i z e n o f t h e c o m m o n w e a l t h of N a t i o n s " .
This term i s cumbrous, and l i k e a l l t e r m s which i n c l u d e t h e
word "Commonwealth" and o m i t t h e word " B r i t i s h " i s open t o
o b j e c t i o n on t h e g r o u n d o f i t s i n d e f i n i t e c h a r a c t e r .
It is,
h o w e v e r , an e s s e n t i a l c o n s e q u e n c e of t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e
Commonwealth t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d b e l i b e r t y t o t h e p e o p l e of some
Commonwealth c o u n t r i e s t o a v o i d l a b e l l i n g t h e m s e l v e s a s
" B r i t i s h " , a n d t h e s i m p l e s t a l t e r n a t i v e s e e m s t o b e "Commonwoa 1 t h
citizen".
If A u s t r a l i a should f e e l i t impossible to use t h i s
term in A u s t r a l i a n l e g i s l a t i o n , t h e y w i l l no doubt b e persuaded,
a t any r a t e t o r a i s e no o b j e c t i o n t o i t s u s e i n t h e U n i t e d
Kingdom B i l l .
5.
A r r a n g e m e n t s have been made t o t a k e t h e Second Heading
o f t h e N a t i o n a l i t y B i l l i n t h e H o u s e o f L o r d s on T u e s d a y n e x t ,
t h e 11th
M a y , a n d i t w o u l d b e p o s s i b l e on t h e S e c o n d R e a d i n g o f
t h i s B i l l t o a n n o u n c e t h a t on C o m m i t t e e S t a g e i t i s p r o p o s e d , t o
move an amendment w h i c h w i l l make i t p o s s i b l e f o r p e o p l e i n a n y
o f t h e s e l f - g o v e r n i n g c o u n t r i e s , i f t h e y s o w i s h , t o u s e some­
s u c h t e r m a s " G o m m o n w e o l t h c i t i z e n " a s an a l t e r n a t i v e t o t h e
term " B r i t i s h s u b j e c t " .
By t a k i n g t h i s c o u r s e t h e U n i t e d
K i n g d o m G o v e r n m e n t w i l l snake i t c l e a r t o I n d i a t h a t t h e y a r e
p r e p a r e d t o meet t h e I n d i a n d e s i r e , and w i l l d e p r i v e t h o s e
p e o p l e i n I n d i a who w a n t t o g o o u t o f t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h o f t h e
argument t h a t c o n t i n u a t i o n w i t h i n t h e Commonwealth i n v o l v e s
l a b e l l i n g t h e c i t i z e n s of I n d i a a s B r i t i s h s u b j e c t s .
The
s u g g e s t i o n from I n d i a t h a t t h e y w i l l f i n d i t l e s s d i f f i c u l t
to
come i n t o t h e new s c h e m e i f t h e y a r e r e l i e v e d o f t h e t i t l e
" B r i t i s h s u b j e c t " c r e a t e s s o f a v o u r a b l e on o p p o r t u n i t y t h a t t h e r e
are strong arguments for accepting the suggestion at once. .
6.
I f t h e S e c o n d R e a d i n g of t h e B i l l d o e s n o t t a k e p l a c e
b e f o r e W h i t s u n , i t w i l l be i m p o s s i b l e f o r t h e B i l l t o b e passed
this Session.
If the Bill is postponed until next Session,
there i s a p o s s i b i l i t y that proceedings in the Constituent
A s s e m b l y may m a k e I n d i a l e s s w i l l i n g t o a c c e p t t h e g e n e r a l
s c h e m e o f t h e N a t i o n a l i t y B i l l , and: a l s o a r i s k t h a t t h e
a g r e e m e n t w h i c h h a s now b e e n s e c u r e d w i t h t h e o t h e r c o u n t r i e s
of t h e Commonwealth w i l l b e i m p a i r e d .
The p r e s e n t B i l l has
b e e n , g e n e r a l l y s p e a k i n g , a g r e e d upon a f t e r most
careful
c o n s u l t a t i o n with t h e s e l f - g o v e r n i n g c o u n t r i e s , and i f i t
is
now p o s t p o n e d t h e r e i s a r i s k t h a t t h e U n i t e d Kingdom w i l l l o s e
t h e i n i t i a t i v e and l e a d e r s h i p in t h i s m a t t e r , and t h a t v a r i o u s
d i s c o r d a n t p r o p o s a l s may b e m a d e .
7.
I t may b e t h a t i n t h e f u t u r e some d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n
b e t w e e n t h e p o s i t i o n of d i f f e r e n t C o m m o n w e a l t h c o u n t r i e s w i l l
b e c o m e i n e v i t a b l e , a n d t h a t w h i l e some r e m a i n f u l l members
of t h e Commonwealth, o t h e r s w i l l f a l l i n t o t h e p o s i t i o n of
a s s o c i a t e s r a t h e r than members.
Others in the
future
r e c e i v i n g s e l f - g o v e r n i n g s t a t u s may p r e f e r s u c h a s s o c i a t e
s t a t u s from t h e f i r s t . '
There i s n o t h i n g in t h e p r e s e n t
B i l l t o p r e v e n t such a d e v e l o p m e n t , s h o u l d i t become
necessary.
In f o o t , t h e p r o v i s i o n in the B i l l f o r clocating
a number of s e p a r a t e c i t i z e n s h i p s f a c i l i t a t e s
any
d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n t h a t may b e n e c e s s a r y i n t h e f u t u r e b e t w e e n
t h e p o s i t i o n of v a r i o u s Commonwealth c o u n t r i e s .
8.
T h e r e w i l l no d o u b t b e d i f f i c u l t i e s i n P a r l i a m e n t
i n s e c u r i n g a s s e n t t o t h e i d e a t h a t t h e p e o p l e s of c e r t a i n
c o u n t r i e s may r e m a i n w i t h i n t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h a l t h o u g h n o t
s t y l i n g themselves by any term which i n d i c a t e s t h e i r B r i t i s h
connection.
But i s i t not r i g h t t h a t t h i s d i f f i c u l t y
should
be faced at once?
Ought n o t t h e U n i t e d Kingdom Government
a n d . P a r l i a m e n t , w h i l e a f f i r m i n g t h a t t h o s e p e o p l e who w i s h t o
c a l l t h e m s e l v e s B r i t i s h s u b j e c t s s h a l l c o n t i n u e t o do s o , t o
a f f i r m e q u a l l y t h a t t h e r e i s t o be l i b e r t y t o t h e p e o p l e of
o t h e r Commonwealth c o u n t r i e s t o remain w i t h i n t h e Commonwealth
t h o u g h c a l l i n g t h e m s e l v e s by some t i t l e w h i c h o m i t s b o t h
t h e word " B r i t i s h " and t h e word " s u b j e c t " ?
Unless
this
p o i n t i s made c l e a r a t an e a r l y d a t e , i s n o t t h e d a n g e r t h a t
I n d i a a n d P a k i s t a n may g o o u t o f t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h l i k e l y t o
he increased?
On t h e o t h e r h a n d , i s i t n o t p o s s i b l e t h a t a
c l e a r s t a t e m e n t now t h a t " B r i t i s h s u b j e c t " i s n o t t h e o n l y
g e n e r a l d e s c r i p t i o n a v a i l a b l e f o r c i t i z e n s of t h e w i d e l y
d i f f e r i n g n a t i o n s in what has h i t h e r t o been t h e B r i t i s h
C o m m o n w e a l t h a n d E m p i r e may e a s e t h e w a y f o r t h o s e i n I n d i a
and. P a k i s t a n o h o d e s i r e t o r e m a i n w i t h u s ?
9.
I t i s a c c o r d i n g l y s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e Second Reading
o f t h e B i l l i n t h e H o u s e o f L o r d s s h o u l d t a k e p l a c e on
T u e s d a y n e x t , t h e 11th May, as h a s p r o v i s i o n a l l y b e e n
a r r a n g e d , and t h a t in moving t h e Second Reading i t should be
e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h e Government has under c o n s i d e r a t i o n
in
c o n s u l t a t i o n with the Dominions p r o p o s a l s by which c l a u s e 1
might b e b r o u g h t more i n t o a c c o r d w i t h t h e development w h i c h
has been t a k i n g p l a c e i n Commonwealth r e l a t i o n s by t h e
r e c o g n i t i o n t h e r e i n of some s u c h d e s i g n a t i o n a s "Commonwealth
c i t i z e n " a s an a l t e r n a t i v e t o " B r i t i s h s u b j e c t " s o t h a t t h e
f o r m e r d e s i g n a t i o n may b e u s e d b y t h o s e c i t i z e n s o r c o u n t r i e s
who c o n s i d e r i t m o r e i n k e e p i n g w i t h t h e f r e e
association
of t h e p e o p l e s of t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h .
P.J.N-B.
hth
May,
1948.