Shocking refusal of citizenship to former Lib Dem mayor

Lib Dem Inga Lockington, the former mayor of Ipswich, has been refused citizenship. It is covered extensively here.

Inga came to the UK in 1979 when she married her British husband. That resonates with me as I moved to the UK twenty-four years ago when I married my British husband. Inga was given indefinite leave to remain at the time, and has been a resident ever since.

Not only has Inga lived in this country, but she has contributed greatly to community life. She has been a councillor for 19 years, and as Suffolk County Councillor has helped many local residents and is well-respected in her community. She was Mayor of Ipswich in 2007.

Inga has said she doesn't want special treatment, she wants a system where everyone is treated equally.

I just want to be treated fairly because I want everybody to be treated the same way.

This follows on a conversation I had with another councillor recently on the struggles he has had in getting papers for his wife to be granted citizenship. He spoke of the thousands of pounds it cost for her and her two children to come here with leave to remain; then the thousands of pounds it cost for permanent residency papers; and now the thousands of pounds to apply for British citizenship.

There are countless stories up and down the country of spouses trying to have a family life with their non-British born partners. They are striving to follow the rules, but having to jump through several hoops and pay thousands of pounds for the privilege. We are not very welcoming as a country and should be ashamed.

I took the decision after my second daughter was born to take British citizenship, and I am ever so glad I did. I had a feeling things might get more difficult for those of us who married into this country, and they have.

* Kirsten Johnson is an Oxfordshire County Councillor and Day Editor for Lib Dem Voice. She stood as the Parliamentary Candidate for Oxford East in the 2017 General Election.