English or British?

[anotheoldgit]

BNP leader Nick Griffin was interviewed this morning by LBC radio.presenter Nick Ferrari, and although I like Nick Ferrari, Griffin made him look a complete fool.

Apart from the fact that I thought at election time there should be complete impartiality, this did not come across on the show, Nick Ferrari, bullied and belittled Nick Griffin.

He tried to back Griffin in a corner over the point of being English or British. Ferrari lead by saying, "suppose a tiny little baby was born to a black mother who had herself been born in England, would that baby be English" Griffin said no it would be British, but not English just as a white baby born in India or Africa would not be Indian or African.

When Ferrari opened up the telephone lines, it was amazing that a number of black and Asian callers, agreed with Nick Griffin, that they would be British but not English.

Agree or Disagree?

[Davethedog]

BNP don't give a toss

[joggerjayne]

Place of birth is an odd one.

If a holidaymaker has a baby whilst on holiday, can the parents demand a passport for the child from the country where they were on holiday ?

[Quinlad]

The media MUST stop being mean to Nick Griffin and asking him challenging questions. It makes him and his party very, very upset.

[rowanwitch]

try replacing black with scottish or welsh.... They probably wouldn't even accept British.

[anotheoldgit]

Good point jayne.

[LoftyLottie]

In answer to Jane 'No'. I am sure the parents will have had to have resided in the overseas country for a certain length of time before any child can claim the nationality of that country.

[joggerjayne]

Aah ... so it's a "residence" criteria ... not a "place of birth" criteria ?

That would suggest that 2 main points in Nick Ferrari's question are both irrelevant.

[modeller]

A baby born in the UK is no longer automatically British . It depends on the status of the parents. See link:

12:12 Thu 22nd Apr 2010

[Booldawg]

did he really use the expression 'tiny little baby' to descibe a newborn? LOL I would question his debating skills as well!

Griffin should only ever be interviewed by top debaters with the backing of huge research teams and loaded questions. Its not populist media to let him win the day.

[Old_Geezer]

IMO if you are born in an area then you are clearly a citizen of that area. So both British and English in the case you are considering.

Of course, as far as official paperwork goes you an often adopt a different nationality as the one you claim to be should you wish.

A white, green, or blue baby, born in India or Africa would obviously be Indian or African. Nothing else is logical, and is just claimed to try to support the wishes of parents and others.

[anotheoldgit]

If one was born on an Indian reserve, would that make one a native American?

[bobjugs12]

So then, a child born to British parents on a military base in Germany, is he British or German?

[mike11111]

The question is one of statehood and not nationality or race. England, unlike Great Britain, is not a sovereign nation on its own so one cannot be English in terms of statehood, only British. To this extent, and this extent only, I have to agree with Griffin.

[Old_Geezer]

Native Americans (i.e. Indians) are, to the best of my knowledge, US citizens, so one was born on an Indian reserve is American.

I believe military bases are considered part of the country who has their army stationed there. A child born in Germany would be German by definition. But it is almost certain the authorities and parents would ensure the official papers showed the parent's nationality for admin purposes.

The nationality you claim to be, and to whom you look for support need not be the same as you were born into. Nor the same as the country where you reside.

[Old_Geezer]

Ah statehood, yes that is an admin question. Not a birth one.

[jake-the-peg]

What about someone born in Dublin prior to 1921?

[dothawkes31]

My eldest son was born in Cardiff, where my husband and I had lived for 3 years, he consideres himself to ne Welsh by birth but English by descent. He's also a bit German by descent actually, and as I have found out resently, a tiny bit scouse,

[mike11111]

Dual nationality

[coccinelle]

English passports don't exist; only British ones. So when asked your nationality you say British. Where are you from? From England. Easy.