News that the former Mayor of Ipswich was denied UK citizenship comes as a surprise, as she should be given such a high position of her legal status in the UK was an issue.
We know that not everybody who is not a UK citizen resides in the UK illegally since individuals with permanent residence can live in the UK legally. Lockington had permanent residence in the UK, but the Home Office claimed not be aware of it. Why?
The deep-rooted problems that exposed the Windrush scandal seem to have no end. It is one revelation after another, revealing either an incompetent Home Office or one deliberately hostile to certain groups of people.
Inga Lockington was a Liberal Democrat councillor for 19 years and served as mayor in 2007, She moved to the UK from Denmark in 1979, when she married her British husband, Tim.
She was given indefinite leave to remain. Born in Denmark, she married a British doctor and moved to the UK in 1979, where she has lived ever since. Still active in politics, she is currently Suffolk County Council’s spokesperson for Adult and Community Care.
Lockington’s decision to apply for UK citizenship came after the EU referendum. It also took into account changes to Danish law that she wouldn’t lose her Danish citizenship if she became a naturalized Briton. The Home Office rejected her application in January after concluding it “cannot be satisfied” that she was permanently a resident in the UK.
She chose to read the letter repeatedly to confirm what she had just read. Lockington says she is speaking out now in solidarity with the Windrush victims, and to try to highlight the breakdown of the immigration system. Lockington told the UK Guardian:
“When I got the letter I felt so rejected and upset,” she said. “My husband was absolutely furious. I had planned to put an appeal in, which they said there was no time limit for, but then, of course, the Windrush scandal came out and it really just brought it home what a difficult situation some people will be in. It really was painful to read about all the people.
“I just felt I’ve got to tell my story because it’s so sad how the Home Office seems to try to refuse people if they can. I think most people applying are doing it for the right reasons but the Home Office assumes we’re all bad. It’s the hostile environment Theresa May has created.”
Lockington said she had never been told she needed it and is angry that the Home Office, who had all her contact details, did not phone her to ask any questions or tell her she did need the card.
She said: “That would have been a friendlier thing to do rather than just send a letter refusing me. You pay all that money and then they don’t do a proper job.”
She said she took for granted that she would be granted citizenship but doesn’t want special treatment because of her public service. “I just want to be treated fairly because I want everybody to be treated the same way,” she said.
Sal Brinton, a Liberal Democrat peer and president of the party, expressed her outrage on social media, saying. “I have known Inga for close to 20 years, she’s had indefinite leave to remain in her passport since 1979. Hostile environment for lawful EU citizens already here.”
“She is an EU citizen married to a UK resident and does not need any document certifying permanent residence. However, she does already have indefinite leave to remain in her passport from 1979, which they’ve ignored. The hostile environment at work. Disgraceful.”
She added in a later tweet: “First Windrush, now EU citizens.”
The Home Office said they would be contacting Lockington on Wednesday to discuss the issue, suggesting there was a problem with her application.
But Richard Thompson, of Ipswich Liberal Democrats, said: “It’s just ridiculous. If someone who has been a councillor for 19 years can’t get the paperwork right, it suggests there is something wrong with the paperwork.”
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