Ms Creasy said the new Home Office measure would also stop Afghan interpreters, who helped the UK and US fight the Taliban in Afghanistan, but who were forced to flee when the Taliban took back control, from becoming British citizens.
In a statement, the Home Office said the strengthened measures made it clear that anyone who entered the UK illegally would face having a British citizenship application refused.
A new government crackdown on refugees travelling to the UK by small boat is so harsh it would mean turning away Paddington Bear, a Labour MP has said.
The move was fiercely criticised by Labour MP Stella Creasy who said it flew in the face of Britain’s tradition of letting those who seek refuge in the UK become “part of the community.”.
Described as a “clarification” to case worker guidance when assessing if a claimant is of "good character”, it says: “Any person applying for citizenship from 10 February 2025, who previously entered the UK illegally will normally be refused, regardless of the time that has passed since the illegal entry took place.”.
