Call to celebrate citizenship in style

Citizenship ceremonies should be held at events such as the FA Cup final, the Wimbledon tennis tournament and Glastonbury, according to a new report.

It also suggests the Last Night of the Proms, Edinburgh Tattoo and New Year fireworks as possible occasions for the ceremonies.

"Iconic'' settings should be used for naturalisation formalities rather than town halls in order to celebrate "Britishness'', a Conservative campaign group has proposed.

Councils organise thousands of low-key events around the country every year to mark the granting of British citizenship to people from overseas.

The ceremonies, which cost £80 and are usually conducted in groups, see applicants make an oath of allegiance and a pledge. They are then presented with a certificate and welcome pack.

A report from Modern Britain, a campaign group backed by a number of Conservative figures, argues that Britain does not pull off the ritual "with the same elan as the USA and Australia''.

The paper, titled The New Migration Contract, says: "Citizenship ceremonies are conducted by local authorities with inconsistent results.

Ceremonies should occur in a greater variety of venues than local council chambers and "the even more ordinary rooms that are sometimes used'', the report says.

Although some are effective, many others simple fail to live up to the true importance of the occasion - a portrait of The Queen on an easel and the national anthem being played from a CD player are the enduring images in the public mind.''

Places used for civil weddings are cited as alternative venues while even more imaginative'' sites such as the BT Tower, the Tower of London and the Castles of Edinburgh and Cardiff could be considered.

The report calls on the UK to follow Australia by holding citizenship ceremonies as "adjuncts to great national occasions''.

It says: "In Britain, this could be achieved at Scotland's Edinburgh Tattoo, the London's Lord Mayor's Parade, New Year Fireworks and Trooping the Colour and the Welsh Eisteddfod, amongst others.

Binita Mehta-Parmar, author of the report, said: "Swearing allegiance to the Queen and recognising the values of our country is the ultimate display of Britishness." It should become routine at great national sporting events such as the FA Cup Final and Wimbledon.''

There is much to commemorate in becoming a citizen of modern Britain and it is right that our new fellow citizens are welcomed appropriately.''" Instead of holding these events in town halls, we should be celebrating New Britons at iconic British events.

Other proposals outlined in the report include: a new net limit of 50,000 highly skilled migrants coming to the UK from around the world; scrapping the net migration target of 100,000; a rolling annual 20,000 target for the number of asylum applicants granted in the UK; a £600 million fund to meet the extra public services costs of migration; and a 70,000 "returns'' target for illegal immigrants and failed asylum seekers.

Earlier this year a major review warned the country was becoming more divided as it became more diverse and suggested ministers should consider whether immigrants intending to settle in Britain should swear an "integration oath'' on arrival.