Lord Singh of Wimbledon
Main Page: Lord Singh of Wimbledon (Crossbench - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Singh of Wimbledon's debates with the Home Office
(3 years, 9 months ago)
Lords ChamberI thank my noble friend for that question. It goes to the heart of the fact that we do not all know everything about history.
My Lords, the Life in the UK test is a bit of an obstacle course, requiring A-level English and a detailed knowledge of cultural trivia that, as mentioned, would defeat many of us. My main concern is about the reference to British values as if they were exclusive. Does the Minister agree that values such as democracy, the rule of law, and individual freedom and tolerance are not exclusively British? They are simply key universal values that aspiring citizens are required to respect.
I agree with the noble Lord that British values are common values. However, some of them may not be writ large in some of the countries that people come from. It is important to reiterate our common values—including the rule of law, as my noble friend Lord Blencathra said—in integrating people into British society.