to the tune of My Country 'Tis of Thee...

'We are all here for a citizenship ceremony this afternoon, is that correct?' the council registrar asked. A general mutter[image error] of assent. 'This is a formal occasion so no jeans, no trainers. If you need to go home and change, you can do that now.' No one had mentioned a dress code. Naturalisation is an arduous process that requires masses of documentation, costs hundreds or even thousands of pounds in legal and Home Office fees, and typically takes years: it seemed a bit tough suddenly to throw ...