THE government has been urged to amend its controversial plans to immigration by Slough Labour – who fear it could create a “second-tier” community.

Under the Nationality and Borders Bill, which is currently being reviewed by the House of Lords, clause nine will give the government power to remove someone’s British citizenship without notice.

The Home Office said this will only be applied in “very limited circumstances,” such as in cases concerning convicted terrorists, spies, and war criminals.

However, the clause has sparked concern from protesters who believe this will disproportionately affect those from a Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background compared to white Britons.

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A petition, which has garnered over 318,000 signatures, has demanded the government to remove clause nine from the bill.

Given Slough is one area in the UK with a high BAME population, the leader of the Slough Labour group and the council, Cllr James Swindlehurst, has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel demanding the clause to be amended.

If approved, Cllr Swindlehurst said this clause “creates a message” that certain citizens remain migrants in the UK, despite being born and raised in the country, and will create a “second-tier category of citizenship”.

He also said the bill as a whole breaches international refugee protocol and claims it will be “music to the ears” of modern slavery gangs as the act will “make it harder” for victims to access support.

In the letter, Cllr Swindlehurst wrote: “Slough has a long history of welcoming people from all over the world, including those seeking refuge from war and persecution, those responding to calls from our government to tackle labour shortages and others simply seeking a better life in the UK.”

Slough Observer: Home Secretary Priti Patel (PA)Home Secretary Priti Patel (PA)

The Home Office has said it will not remove clause nine from the bill and will only be used on those posing a threat to the UK or where citizenship has been obtained for fraudulent means.

A government spokesperson said: “Deprivation on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds is rare, [and] has been possible for over a century, comes with a right of appeal and is used against people like terrorists to keep the public safe.

“Such decisions are therefore made following careful consideration of advice from officials and lawyers and in accordance with domestic and international law as well as the UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

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“Clause nine doesn’t change any of that. It is simply about how someone is notified. It cannot be right that the proper functioning of the immigration and nationality system is impeded because an individual has removed themselves from contact with the Home Office, or they are in a war zone where they cannot be contacted, or where to make contact would disclose sensitive intelligence sources.”

They added it does not affect the right to appeal.