Home Secretary Sajid Javid vows to put British values at the heart of the citizenship test
At the Conservative Party's annual conference, Sajid Javid said migrants would be expected to 'live by our values', in return for being given a home in the UK
THE HOME Secretary yesterday vowed to put British values at the heart of a new citizenship test – replacing the current “pub quiz”.
Tory rising star Sajid Javid said people seeking residency would have to show they understood the British way of life to get a passport.
Speaking at the Tory conference he insisted the country was one of most “open, welcoming and tolerant” in the world.
But he said in return for giving migrants a home, they would be expected to “live by our values”.
Unveiling the Government’s new immigration plans, he said: “It is only right that we make it clear to all new citizens what we are for and what we are against.
“The existing Life in the UK test for new citizens is not enough. Maybe it is helpful for people to know the name of the sixth wife of Henry VIII.
“But far more important to me is that they understand the liberal, democratic values that bind our society together.”
The first Muslim-born Home Secretary added that he wanted to strengthen the English language requirements for all new citizens.
In a speech many took as his first pitch to be a future PM, he said 700,000 people in the UK couldn’t even speak a basic level of English.
He said: “How can we possibly make a common home together if we can’t even communicate with each other.”
Ex-PM David Cameron four years ago pushed for ‘British values’ to be taught in schools as a way of combatting extremism.
At the time ‘values’ questions were added to the citizenship test – such as asking applicants whether liberty, intolerance or inequality was a principle of British life.
A Home Office insider last night said: “This is about improving what has already been done.”
Mr Javid yesterday separately confirmed a new post-Brexit immigration regime would end all preferential treatment for EU nationals.
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He said there would be a focus on high-skilled workers and “curbs” on the low skilled.
And he insisted the plans would “lower” net migration.
But campaigners warned there was a chance numbers could RISE given the possibility of fresh concessions to Brussels in free trade talks.
And Theresa May last night refused to say whether there would be a cap on EU workers allowed in on “mobility” schemes.
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