Double Passports in the Government

[Andres]

I think the UK is rather different to most other European countries (in this in particular), the top jobs in all government departments are given to elected representatives -or individuals given a title (e.g. Lord or Baroness) so as to enable them to sit in either the House of Commons or Lords and in so doing be publicly responsible (to other MPs or Lords) for their department.

I see.

Well, I would have the same opinion if it the official would have been directly elected and had been open about his/her nationality during campaign. If the British people want a Turk/Russian/Belgian/whatever to be their Prime Minister and he is directly elected by the people, then I see no objections. It wouldn't be my choice, but if that is what the majority of the people truly want

My personal opinion may be biased here, having both British and French nationality, but I'm not convinced that insisting on a single legal nationality would really help much keep a government "safer". In practical terms, not having an additional nationality/passport would not hinder anyone from e.g. passing on state secrets, let alone being prone to "external influence". You'd have to insist on allegiance to the state or whatever -which is exactly why UK MPs are required to swear an oath of fealty to the Queen, and why Sinn Fein cannot sit in Parliament (becasue they won't swear such fealty, for obvious reasons).

Matter of principle, perhaps?

Dutch secretary of state should be Dutch. Sounds pretty reasonable to me. I've never been a fan of double or triple nationalities and I think it should not be allowed to have more than one nationality, but that's just me.

[al Roumi]

Matter of principle, perhaps?

Indeed, I can't really see a non-national politician being elected in the first place though, so the issue is usually around those with more than one nationality. We only have to look at the myths around Barak Obama to see how even a nation famously open to meritocracy and immigration can be chronicaly sensitive to someone with even potential extra allegiances.

[The Stranger]

I see.

Well, I would have the same opinion if it the official would have been directly elected and had been open about his/her nationality during campaign. If the British people want a Turk/Russian/Belgian/whatever to be their Prime Minister and he is directly elected by the people, then I see no objections. It wouldn't be my choice, but if that is what the majority of the people truly want




Matter of principle, perhaps?

Dutch secretary of state should be Dutch. Sounds pretty reasonable to me. I've never been a fan of double or triple nationalities and I think it should not be allowed to have more than one nationality, but that's just me.

perhaps not at all unreasonable, BUT then they should get rid of their secretary of state, which they dont. and that is hypocrite, and even better to defend themself they deny their hypocracy by advocating some sort of discrimination... way to go!!!

I actually feel strongly in favor of abolishing all passports, but I havent yet came up with a alternative so i cant really make that point...



i have to agree with horetore and tellos, it is not at all unreasonable to make such a demand but is it neccesary? does it fix the problem of having unreliable people in key positions. imo it doesnt, it is just some quick fix which will not hold together. and it is not like the person doesnt have the dutch nationality at all, that person has already been deemed "good" enough to get the dutch nationality (or the other one) and has proven him/herself to the party she is a member of, and then lets not forget that the intelligence service will no doubt run some background checks on the person in question.

[HoreTore]

I actually feel strongly in favor of abolishing all passports, but I havent yet came up with a alternative so i cant really make that point...

I'll give an alternative: No borders whatsoever. I don't see why the government should be able to decide who I talk to, who to be friends with, work with/for, love, marry, have children with, etc etc

The right demands strict control with those things, and at the same time they cry about "freedom".... I call BS.

[The Stranger]

I'll give an alternative: No borders whatsoever. I don't see why the government should be able to decide who I talk to, who to be friends with, work with/for, love, marry, have children with, etc etc

The right demands strict control with those things, and at the same time they cry about "freedom".... I call BS.

i also favor such a tendency but lets face it, it wont work just yet. but i hope that step by step humanity will move in that direction.

[Ronin]

well she is obviously a double-triple-or even quadruple agent for sure!...for sure!

[HoreTore]

I've never undedrstood why people bother with or care about all these "oaths". Why on earth does anyone believe that saying a few words is going to affect their behavior?

I've signed a few papers saying that I agree never to speak about certain things, but do I care? Nope, if the Russkies or anyone else wants to know how the MRR works, I'll be more than happy to tell them everything I know if I wanted to.

That piece of paper I once signed is something I honestly could not care less about.

[The Stranger]

I've never undedrstood why people bother with or care about all these "oaths". Why on earth does anyone believe that saying a few words is going to affect their behavior?

I've signed a few papers saying that I agree never to speak about certain things, but do I care? Nope, if the Russkies or anyone else wants to know how the MRR works, I'll be more than happy to tell them everything I know if I wanted to.

That piece of paper I once signed is something I honestly could not care less about.

because then atleast legally you can be held accountable for what you have done. its one of the effects of the culture of negative responsibility where it is all about making sure that someone is convicted for a negative result and about finding a scapegoat and someone to blame and not about preventing the problem and making sure the there will be a solution to a problem when it arises. and ofcourse it is a relic of the time when giving your word actually meant something, and it is not really a good thing imo that those days are past.

[gaelic cowboy]

well she is obviously a double-triple-or even quadruple agent for sure!...for sure!

Lets see her parents home burned and the family forced to become practically refugees by loyalist mobs I think were safe enough.

[Louis VI the Fat]

well she is obviously a double-triple-or even quadruple agent for sure!...for sure!

Her first name's Catholic and her surname is Sco'ish!

She's an Orangist, a Loyalist, an agent of London and a servant to Rome!

[gaelic cowboy]

Her first name's Catholic and her surname is Sco'ish!

She's an Orangist, a Loyalist, an agent of London and a servant to Rome!

Dependinng on how one spells the name it is Irish or Scots generally but not always Mc/Mac shows the origin

in English it's McAleese but as gaelige it is "Mac Giolla Iosa" which translates into "son of the devotee of Jesus"

McAleese of course is only her married name and her actual maiden name is Lenaghan a fine Connacht sept