UK toughens immigration rules
By Jimmy Burns
Published: February 20 2008 15:01 | Last updated: February 20 2008 15:01

Foreign nationals seeking British citizenship will have to prove they can speak English, have paid taxes and have broken no laws under a toughening of immigration controls unveiled on Wednesday.

Migrants will also have to demonstrate a degree of integration into the local community as part of a wider government strategy aimed at better controlling immigration – an issue which opinion polls suggest is of concern to a majority of voters in the UK.

Those convicted of a criminal offence, however minor, during their stay in the UK as temporary migrants will have their applications for citizenship refused and will be subject to removal from the country.

Jacqui Smith, home secretary, described the plans as a “new dealâ€