Tuesday 25 November 2008

"New laws against forced marriages"

I agree with the broad aims of this legislation, but there is no reason to assume it will achieve its purpose, none in the slightest.

Ergo, it might more sense to go on the opposite tack, and reduce the hallowed legal status that marriage has, HH proposing.

For example, if there were no presumption that a foreign spouse has automatic right to be given a UK residence visa (which is the reason for the vast majority of forced marriages), and instead had to apply for a residence permit on his or her own merits, a lot of the problem would sort itself out.

Next.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

True, but what if couples find themselves unable to be together because both respective countries refuse one partner residency?

AntiCitizenOne said...

I favour auctioning the right to be a U.K. citizen.

After all you'll be getting a Citizens Dividend.

Mark Wadsworth said...

AC1, excellent plan. Why let the people smugglers get the money when our foreign consulates can just auction off visas? It's another cunning form of LVT, really. Let's see what my Immigration Minister thinks ...

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, it's actually not a bad idea. I'm going to have to mull this over. It'd balance many of the economic costs, remove many greencard marriages, and ensure that applicants contributed both to the country and attached considerable value to citizenship (nothing like money to sharpen the mind).