Life in the United Kingdom immigration test 'to be revised'

[joebloggs]

The Life in the United Kingdom test was originally introduced by Labour in 2005.

But Home Secretary Theresa May believes it places too much emphasis on the practicalities of daily living in Britain rather than the country's history, according to the newspaper.

She is understood to have scrapped sections dealing with claiming welfare payments, borrowing money and the Human Rights Act.





http://www.itv.com/news/update/2012-...to-be-revised/

also

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18662531

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9367...al-Anthem.html

[lastlid]

The Life in the United Kingdom test was originally introduced by Labour in 2005.

But Home Secretary Theresa May believes it places too much emphasis on the practicalities of daily living in Britain rather than the country's history, according to the newspaper.

She is understood to have scrapped sections dealing with claiming welfare payments, borrowing money and the Human Rights Act.





http://www.itv.com/news/update/2012-...to-be-revised/

also

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18662531

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9367...al-Anthem.html

And....God Save the Queen in full....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...en-lyrics.html

[lastlid]

The Life in the United Kingdom test was originally introduced by Labour in 2005.

But Home Secretary Theresa May believes it places too much emphasis on the practicalities of daily living in Britain rather than the country's history, according to the newspaper.

See thats why we need to take our wives to London etc, to beef them up on this stuff. Tower of London etc etc

[lastlid]

I got the Mrs to watch the national anthem before each of the Euro 2012 games.......



And even sang it for her....

[lastlid]

And I am taking her up the mountain today so that she can see 5 kingdoms : England, N.Ireland, Scotland, Wales and of course the Isle of Man.

All part of the subliminal coaching for this test.

She knows how the Union Jack has been compiled...

[lastlid]

"Migrants applying for a British passport will soon have to be able to recite the first verse of God Save the Queen, under an overhaul of the UK citizenship test this autumn.

They could also be tested on their knowledge of Winston Churchill, Lord Byron, Florence Nightingale and William Shakespeare, as well as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, before they can qualify to become a British citizen.

The stronger emphasis on traditional British history is part of a move by the home secretary, Theresa May, to a more "patriotic guide" for migrants who want to settle in the UK before they can qualify for a passport.

May also wants to drop sections of the official Life in the UK: A Journey to Citizenship handbook, which explains things such as the Human Rights Act and how to claim welfare benefits and give details of managing everyday life such as reading the gas meter, getting home contents insurance or dealing with the local council.

Instead, Conservative ministers want to tell new migrants that Britain is "historically" a Christian country with a "long and illustrious history". The Sunday Times reports that a draft of the handbook includes profiles of historical characters including the Queen, the Duke of Wellington, Sir Alexander Fleming, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Emmeline Pankhurst, Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy and poets such as Robert Browning and Lord Byron.

A Home Office official said: "It's a move away from the old one – stuff on rights, practical info that has little to do with British culture – to one that is clear about responsibilities and requires people to have a grounding in our history."

This stronger emphasis on Britishness in the citizenship test will also be reflected by the requirement to learn the first verse of God Save the Queen. Modern Britain is to be reflected by questions about British inventions such as the structure of DNA and the internet and about the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. There is not, however, expected to be any mention of the Sex Pistols.

Habib Rahman, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, is not convinced that the test needs overhauling: "We would like to see the evidence of the current test failing in its stated aim to teach migrants the basics needed for life in this country. Theresa May is once again raising the bar for settlement for New Britons.

"To make the test less practical and more historical will give migrants an abundance of knowledge they will not use. This is another measure to limit access to the UK. The home secretary needs to think again."

About 80,000 people a year take the UK citizenship test, introduced by Labour in 2005 as an essential part of applying to settle in the UK and acquiring a British passport.

The £50 test consists of 24 multiple-choice questions based on the 146-page Life in the UK handbook and can be taken at 65 centres around the country. New citizens are required to attend a ceremony where they are asked to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen, a pledge of loyalty to the UK and to uphold democratic values.

Life in the UK includes a 25-page, 11,000-word introduction to British history written by the late professor Sir Bernard Crick. He defended it from criticism from the Historical Association that it was "a bizarre tour of British history" by saying it was written for immigrants and their language teachers and was not an official history.

Crick also revealed in 2006 that he resisted pressure from the then home secretary, David Blunkett, to include history questions in the test: "I refused, both in principle and on grounds of practicality: could any test for immigrants be devised that 80% of our fellow citizens would not fail?" he said.

But a Home Office spokesman said: "Putting our culture and history at the heart of the citizenship test will help ensure those permanently settling can understand British life, allowing them to properly integrate into our society.""

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/ju...?newsfeed=true

[andy222]

Did you notice the bit where she mentions that this is a christian country? hmmmmm. I wonder who she is targeting there?

[gWaPito]

"Migrants applying for a British passport will soon have to be able to recite the first verse of God Save the Queen, under an overhaul of the UK citizenship test this autumn.

They could also be tested on their knowledge of Winston Churchill, Lord Byron, Florence Nightingale and William Shakespeare, as well as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, before they can qualify to become a British citizen.

The stronger emphasis on traditional British history is part of a move by the home secretary, Theresa May, to a more "patriotic guide" for migrants who want to settle in the UK before they can qualify for a passport.

May also wants to drop sections of the official Life in the UK: A Journey to Citizenship handbook, which explains things such as the Human Rights Act and how to claim welfare benefits and give details of managing everyday life such as reading the gas meter, getting home contents insurance or dealing with the local council.

Instead, Conservative ministers want to tell new migrants that Britain is "historically" a Christian country with a "long and illustrious history". The Sunday Times reports that a draft of the handbook includes profiles of historical characters including the Queen, the Duke of Wellington, Sir Alexander Fleming, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Emmeline Pankhurst, Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy and poets such as Robert Browning and Lord Byron.

A Home Office official said: "It's a move away from the old one – stuff on rights, practical info that has little to do with British culture – to one that is clear about responsibilities and requires people to have a grounding in our history."

This stronger emphasis on Britishness in the citizenship test will also be reflected by the requirement to learn the first verse of God Save the Queen. Modern Britain is to be reflected by questions about British inventions such as the structure of DNA and the internet and about the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. There is not, however, expected to be any mention of the Sex Pistols.

Habib Rahman, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, is not convinced that the test needs overhauling: "We would like to see the evidence of the current test failing in its stated aim to teach migrants the basics needed for life in this country. Theresa May is once again raising the bar for settlement for New Britons.

"To make the test less practical and more historical will give migrants an abundance of knowledge they will not use. This is another measure to limit access to the UK. The home secretary needs to think again."

About 80,000 people a year take the UK citizenship test, introduced by Labour in 2005 as an essential part of applying to settle in the UK and acquiring a British passport.

The £50 test consists of 24 multiple-choice questions based on the 146-page Life in the UK handbook and can be taken at 65 centres around the country. New citizens are required to attend a ceremony where they are asked to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen, a pledge of loyalty to the UK and to uphold democratic values.

Life in the UK includes a 25-page, 11,000-word introduction to British history written by the late professor Sir Bernard Crick. He defended it from criticism from the Historical Association that it was "a bizarre tour of British history" by saying it was written for immigrants and their language teachers and was not an official history.

Crick also revealed in 2006 that he resisted pressure from the then home secretary, David Blunkett, to include history questions in the test: "I refused, both in principle and on grounds of practicality: could any test for immigrants be devised that 80% of our fellow citizens would not fail?" he said.

But a Home Office spokesman said: "Putting our culture and history at the heart of the citizenship test will help ensure those permanently settling can understand British life, allowing them to properly integrate into our society.""

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/ju...?newsfeed=true

A small price to pay for giving your family and generations beyond a life time of security and well being....yes, no mistaking there..compared to the 3rd world's most immigrants are coming from, the UK is indeed, the closest place to heaven on earth.

[andy222]

A small price to pay for giving your family and generations beyond a life time of security and well being....yes, no mistaking there..compared to the 3rd world's most immigrants are coming from, the UK is indeed, the closest place to heaven on earth.

Your entitled to your opinion.

[lastlid]

[Lancashirelad]

"Migrants applying for a British passport will soon have to be able to recite the first verse of God Save the Queen, under an overhaul of the UK citizenship test this autumn.

They could also be tested on their knowledge of Winston Churchill, Lord Byron, Florence Nightingale and William Shakespeare, as well as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, before they can qualify to become a British citizen.

The stronger emphasis on traditional British history is part of a move by the home secretary, Theresa May, to a more "patriotic guide" for migrants who want to settle in the UK before they can qualify for a passport.

May also wants to drop sections of the official Life in the UK: A Journey to Citizenship handbook, which explains things such as the Human Rights Act and how to claim welfare benefits and give details of managing everyday life such as reading the gas meter, getting home contents insurance or dealing with the local council.

Instead, Conservative ministers want to tell new migrants that Britain is "historically" a Christian country with a "long and illustrious history". The Sunday Times reports that a draft of the handbook includes profiles of historical characters including the Queen, the Duke of Wellington, Sir Alexander Fleming, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Emmeline Pankhurst, Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy and poets such as Robert Browning and Lord Byron.

A Home Office official said: "It's a move away from the old one – stuff on rights, practical info that has little to do with British culture – to one that is clear about responsibilities and requires people to have a grounding in our history."

This stronger emphasis on Britishness in the citizenship test will also be reflected by the requirement to learn the first verse of God Save the Queen. Modern Britain is to be reflected by questions about British inventions such as the structure of DNA and the internet and about the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. There is not, however, expected to be any mention of the Sex Pistols.

I'm sorry to inform the guardian journalist and Teresa May that we did not invent the structure of DNA, however we did discover it!

[Dedworth]

That fine example of a patriotic Englishman, Gobby Gary Neville belting out God Save The Queen

[Arthur Little]

The Life in the United Kingdom test was originally introduced by Labour in 2005.

But Home Secretary Theresa May believes it places too much emphasis on the practicalities of daily living in Britain

... wtf OTHER purpose is it MEANT to serve?

rather than the country's *history ...

... *that's plain ... I mean, what earthly use is William Shakespeare to the average immigrant - unless he or she happens to be a student of English Literature?

[Arthur Little]

... what earthly use is William Shakespeare to the average immigrant ...?

On reflection, ... one supposes his earthly remains have helped fertilise the soil necessary for "pushing up the daisies" in Holy Trinity Churchyard, Stratford-upon-Avon over the past [almost] four centuries!

[lastlid]

I'm sorry to inform the guardian journalist and Teresa May that we did not invent the structure of DNA, however we did discover it!

At Leicester University, wasnt it? Or was that the discovery / invention of DNA fingerprinting? Alan Jeffries. I can remember when it happened as I was there at the time - different department though. I recall a mate of mine in a fit of euphoria over it.

[lastlid]

... wtf OTHER purpose does it NEED to serve?



... *that's plain ... I mean, what earthly use is William Shakespeare to the average immigrant - unless he or she happens to be a student of English Literature?

'Es part of our effin culture innit!

I have to confess that I have read absolutely no Shakespeare whatsoever. On the other hand, my ex wife read almost everything he ever wrote and went to so many plays of his. I guess that he is a part of our culture, like it or not. He surely is as integral to British culture as some of the noteworthy Scottish bards.

I guess you have a point, though, Arthur. I am trying to work out how to bridge this gap with Mrs Lastlid. Surely it will be just a question of knowing his name ( and spelling it correctly) and what his contribution to British culture has been, rather than any in depth knowledge of his works.

I will probably take Mrs Lastlid for a day trip to Stratford Upon Avon and that should suffice. ( I hope).

[lordna]

Thats why we all need to earn more than £18600.....so we can afford to take our spouses to visit all these historical monuments!...Have you checked out the admission prices? I am a little Kuripot but even so you need to be well off if you want to visit these places. eg look at Hampton Court, Stonehenge, tower of london admission prices to name a few.

[lastlid]

Thats why we all need to earn more than £18600.....so we can afford to take our spouses to visit all these historical monuments!...Have you checked out the admission prices? I am a little Kuripot but even so you need to be well off if you want to visit these places. eg look at Hampton Court, Stonehenge, tower of london admission prices to name a few.

I know. They aren't cheap. Especially if children go too.

[Terpe]

The news item only mentions that the new book will be published in the Autumn.
However, what is not yet clear is acually when it's going to replace the existing one to form the core of the Life in UK Test.

Personally, I suspect there will be some transitional period of notice, just like the introduction of the B1 level English Language test for the ILR.
Currently the Life in UK test has no expiry, so I guess it's reasonable to suggest that if you've already achieved a pass certificate no-one should have to retake it just because it has changed.
That's only my personal opinion.

When the Life in UK Test has previously been changed/updated candidates were actually allowed to choose which edition they wanted to be tested on.
In my mind that would represents a possible alternative for any transitional period for those without an existing pass certificate.

In principle, I would consider it extremely harsh to expect people who are planning to take the test in readiness for their ILR application anytime soon to buy a complete new book and to study and pass a complete new test in such a short time frame and under the pressures of possible visa expiry.

[gWaPito]

Thats why we all need to earn more than £18600.....so we can afford to take our spouses to visit all these historical monuments!...Have you checked out the admission prices? I am a little Kuripot but even so you need to be well off if you want to visit these places. eg look at Hampton Court, Stonehenge, tower of london admission prices to name a few.

Not cheap, I grant you but, if the weather's good and the babies dont play up too much , in my opinion represent excellent value
Btw you missed out Windsor Castle...lovely

[purple]

Did you notice the bit where she mentions that this is a christian country? hmmmmm. I wonder who she is targeting there?

I think she meant "historically christian".

I thought that's what life in the UK test should be..

[Arthur Little]

Hampton Court

Q. How could Hampton Court best be described in one word ... ?

A. AMAZING!

[lastlid]

The news item only mentions that the new book will be published in the Autumn.
However, what is not yet clear is acually when it's going to replace the existing one to form the core of the Life in UK Test.

Personally, I suspect there will be some transitional period of notice, just like the introduction of the B1 level English Language test for the ILR.
Currently the Life in UK test has no expiry, so I guess it's reasonable to suggest that if you've already achieved a pass certificate no-one should have to retake it just because it has changed.
That's only my personal opinion.

When the Life in UK Test has previously been changed/updated candidates were actually allowed to choose which edition they wanted to be tested on.
In my mind that would represents a possible alternative for any transitional period for those without an existing pass certificate.

In principle, I would consider it extremely harsh to expect people who are planning to take the test in readiness for their ILR application anytime soon to buy a complete new book and to study and pass a complete new test in such a short time frame and under the pressures of possible visa expiry.

I have a feeling that the new version will indeed be better.