How a second passport became the key to freedom for young Brits

Just like his parents, Paul Zaba was born in the UK and given British citizenship at birth. But this only reflected part of the picture. Culturally, Paul’s family has always been part Polish – they all speak the language, and Paul attended Polish Saturday school and scout camps. “I describe myself as Polish-British,” says Paul, who feels like he belongs to both countries. “I’m very involved with the Polish diaspora.” But even though Paul has four Polish grandparents, he never held a Polish passport. It never seemed necessary – until now.

“On the day we got the result of the Brexit vote, [my Polish friends and I] texted each other that, obviously, we’re going to get Polish citizenship now,” says Paul. “It was that immediate; the plan was hatched. We wanted to retain all the benefits of being EU citizens, of being able to travel in Europe unimpeded and have the option to settle there.”

Many UK-born people who, like Paul, always had the right to dual citizenship with a European country, simply never bothered to do the paperwork. It costs money and is a lot of hassle, so unless there’s a specific reason, why bother? But all that changed with Brexit, when Brits lost their freedom of movement to not just seamlessly travel in Europe, but also to live and work in 27 EU countries with almost the same rights as locals. The desire to retain these rights has led hundreds of thousands of Brits to grab bureaucracy by the horns and read the fine print – the rules vary widely depending on the country – and work out if they can claim citizenship on the basis that mum, grandpa or maybe even great-grandpa came from an EU country.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 1.26 million people who live in Britain, or 2.1 per cent of the population, now have passports to both the UK and one other country. More specifically, the 2021 Census found a fivefold increase in people born in the UK now holding both British and EU passports. The Global Citizenship Observatory estimates that Brexit has prompted 90,000 Brits to acquire a second passport from Europe. This number does not include those securing their first Irish passports, a number estimated between 120,000 and up to half a million people.

Paul became officially Polish in 2018 after his mother, Christina Malkowska, finished filing for citizenship as the child of a Polish person – only then could Paul and his sister do the same. Christina explains that her mum had kept her old Polish passport after naturalising in Britain, but didn’t have her birth certificate: “My mum was born in 1927, and a lot of documents were destroyed in the war. But her christening certificate still existed in the parish records in Poland,” she explains. She was able to get a copy from the parish priest. As part of the 12-page application, Christina had to explain her connection to the country. “I had to write this in Polish. I had to tell the story of my parents, my grandparents, my great-grandparents, as far back as I could.” The file was finally reviewed by the courts, which determined that she’s indeed a Polish citizen.

Paul, who also goes by Paweł, is happy to finally be Polish – as we spoke he was eager to get to vote for the first time in a Polish election. “I feel proud of my citizenship. I feel like I’ve earned it.” Paul now uses his Polish passport to travel in Europe, skipping the long immigration queues that have become a sore point for many Brits who, since Brexit, now have to start their holidays in the slow lane. While we’ll likely be able to start using e-gates in Europe again next year, the new electronic visa system is currently scheduled to go live in late 2026, providing a fresh reminder to Brits that we’re not officially a member of the European family anymore. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will require Brits to provide their personal information before entering Europe, in exchange for a passport-linked travel permit that will require renewal every three years, at the cost of €7.

The most common European ancestry for a UK-born person is Irish, head and shoulders ahead of French and then German, Polish and Italian. Sarah Wellband grew up English and only realised she had Irish heritage when she found her birth mother in 2000. By coincidence, Sarah was living in Dublin at the time, but didn’t pursue Irish citizenship: “It’s long-winded. You’ve got everything going on in your life. If you don’t see the value in something, you don’t think about pursuing it. It just wasn’t a priority.”

But then Brexit happened. Sarah was living in Portugal by this point – she wasn’t worried about her rights to stay there, as she had permanent residency. “But with just a UK passport, I would have been very limited in my travel. If I wanted to move to Spain or Italy, it would have been very difficult. Whereas with an Irish passport, I’m European.” Sarah got the documents she needed from her birth mum: “I had certificates coming out of my ears,” she laughs. “I didn’t even know if it was possible for me, as I was adopted [by British parents]. But it didn’t matter as long as I had my original birth certificate.”

While Sarah started the process for practical reasons, the experience has led to profound changes in how she sees herself. “I have my Irish heritage, and also, I love the country. This is far more valuable to me than just a travel document,” she says. “If anybody asks me now, I tell them I’m Irish because officially, I am. I identify as Irish.”

Technically speaking, most people who become citizens through ancestry aren’t actually applying for citizenship, which is a process for immigration. Instead, people like Sarah are simply providing extensive documentation to prove that, actually, they are already citizens, and they’d like to make it official, please. But even though it’s a birthright, claiming a national identity can lead to conflicting feelings.

Tom Harrison’s grandmother on his father’s side was Irish, but he also happens to be born in Northern Ireland, meaning he’s also entitled to Irish citizenship as per the Good Friday Agreement. “I lived in Portstewart until I was six, when my family moved back to England,” says Tom. He’s always been aware he could get a second passport: “But it just never seemed important. From a practical perspective, a British passport was stronger,” says Tom, whose British-identifying father actively discouraged him from pursuing it. “Dad would say, why would you want to be associated with Ireland?”

Tom made the decision to go ahead only after Brexit changed the score, and his British passport no longer provided entry to Europe. “I’m worried about the political route this country is taking. Access to Europe is important to me … Ireland is a lot more progressive now than it used to be. It’s become far more attractive [as a place to live].” His dad has come around on the passport thing too now, as “he’s very pro-EU”, Tom laughs. But even though he has fond memories of his early years in Northern Ireland, Tom has found himself wondering whether he has any right to call himself Irish: “I have a legal entitlement, but I don’t have any real connection with the culture. So when I speak to Irish people, I don’t feel like I can claim that identity.”

Most countries will only extend citizenship rights for one, maybe two generations, and only if specific and sometimes narrow conditions are met. But as a gesture of restitution, Germany, along with Austria, Spain and Portugal, has dedicated routes for people who lost their citizenships due to political, racial or religious persecution. In Germany, the rules apply to people who were deprived of their nationality due to persecution during the 1933-1945 Nazi regime, and to their descendants.

This is why Peter Flemming, who was born in the UK, has spent several years researching the early life of their grandfather Moritz, who was born in Germany in 1910 before his family emigrated to the US. “Moritz wanted to go to medical school, but at the time the US had a limit to how many Jewish students would be admitted to study medicine,” Peter says. “So Moritz decided to move to Germany for education in 1932, and completed a medical degree in [German] Königsberg, which is now [Russian] Kaliningrad. Moritz graduated in 1938 and returned to the US, showing impeccable timing.”

Peter has plenty of copies of documents proving all of this, but the Germans need originals. “I need to establish that Moritz had ordinary residence in Germany before January 1933, when Hitler became chancellor,” says Peter, who’s currently trying to get shipping records to prove Moritz arriving in Hamburg in late 1932. Then it will be time to apply, and cross fingers that the evidence will be sufficient.

Peter’s motivation for doing this is simple: “I want freedom of movement back. I want that liberty … I don’t have deep German roots – Moritz only lived in Germany for about 10 years. I feel an affinity with Europe more than to Germany specifically.” But the process has proven rewarding, especially as it’s turned into a family research project. Moritz didn’t speak much about this time in his life – Peter has copies of letters from the university, on swastika letterhead, warning Moritz that he wouldn’t be able to practice medicine because he was Jewish. While it’s not clear what Moritz was thinking when he left Germany, no doubt he understood things wouldn’t go well for him if he stayed. “All of this has made me think a lot about family,” says Peter. “Even if I don’t get German citizenship in the end, what I’ve learned will have been worth it.”

Teen died after breast cancer referral downgraded as she was 16

A teenage girl died of breast cancer after her treatment was downgraded from “urgent” to “routine” due to her age.

Isla Sneddon, then aged 14, first went to hospital in the summer of 2022 with painful lumps in her breasts, but was informed that they were down to hormones.

She returned in 2024, aged 16, with similar symptoms, but despite her GP putting through an urgent referral due to a suspicion of cancer, it was downgraded in line with national guidelines.

Her family are now demanding a review of urgent cancer referrals, and has said she may have survived if her symptoms were taken as seriously as adult cancer treatment.

According to the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, any new discrete lump in a patient over the age of 30 should be treated as an urgent referral and seen within two weeks, while those under 30 are treated as routine.

Speaking to The Independent, her cousin Mairi McGee said: “Isla was a beautiful soul. She was kind, reliable and had the ability to make people feel seen. She loved music, makeup and all things pink.”

After her urgent referral was downgraded, she was eventually seen for a biopsy two months later in August 2024 and told it was likely to be a benign tumour, a probable giant fibroadenoma.

However, six days later, her family were informed that there was a sac filled with fluid around her heart, and fluid in her lungs. As her condition deteriorated, she remained in intensive care at Glasgow’s Golden Jubilee hospital for 10 weeks until she was handed the devastating news that sarcoma had been found on the lining of her heart.

Sarcoma is a rare form of aggressive cancer that starts in the bones and soft tissues. In Isla’s case, the cancer had originated in her breast, and had spread to her heart, lungs and lymph nodes.

She was given just 6-12 months to live, and was able to continue her treatment at home until she died aged 17, just six months and two days after her diagnosis.

“We can’t stress enough that the care Isla received from doctors and nurses was outstanding. They really were amazing with Isla,” Ms McGee said.

“We think the guidelines regarding referrals should be changed. Had Isla been an adult, her case wouldn’t have been downgraded and that month-or-two delay could have been the difference between us having Isla with us today or even having more time.”

Her family is calling on the Scottish government and NHS Scotland to ensure paediatric referrals are subject to the same maximum wait times as adults, and for there to be a follow-up where a referral is downgraded or delayed.

They are also calling for clearer guidelines to help GPs and clinicians recognise and escalate signs of cancer in young adults and children without delay.

Scotland has one of the highest mortality rates for under-18s in Western Europe, with an estimated 300 children and young people dying each year.

Scottish Labour’s deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “This is an utterly heartbreaking case and my thoughts are with Isla Sneddon’s family.

“It is a scandal that Isla and her family were so badly failed, and lessons must be learned from this awful case to ensure no more lives are needlessly lost in this way.”

She added: “There must be a review into how cancer referrals for young people are handled so we can ensure people of all ages get the swift, lifesaving cancer treatment they need.

Isla’s family said: “Isla’s death has shattered all her family, friends and teachers. We are beyond devastated and can’t come to terms with it. This shouldn’t be happening to anyone let alone someone with their whole life ahead of them.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the family of Isla on their loss.

“The Scottish referral guidelines for suspected cancer have been developed to support primary care clinicians to identify those with symptoms [consistent with] cancer and identify those who require urgent assessment by a specialist. These guidelines have recently been reviewed with input from clinicians and cancer charities to ensure they are evidence-based and help support early identification of cancer.

“To support this, a new primary care cancer education platform – Gateway C – was launched on 30 April 2024 in NHS Scotland, supported by NHS Education for Scotland. Gateway C provides innovative and tailored information to support earlier cancer diagnosis efforts and enable effective decision-making.

“This free online platform is accessible to all primary care clinicians, including pharmacists, dentists, and optometrists.”

EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick suspended by BBC

EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick has been suspended by the BBC after he used a disabled slur on the set of Strictly Come Dancing.

A video emerged of the actor, who has played Jay Brown on the soap since 2006, using the offensive term to describe the people of Blackpool, the town where the show was being filmed, The Sun reports.

The 30-year-old, who competed in the 2024 edition of Strictly, is said to have made the offensive remark on a phone video while the Strictly cast were at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom last November.

A spokesperson for the BBC said: “This language is entirely unacceptable and in no way reflects the values or standards we hold and expect at the BBC. We have robust processes in place for this.”

Warren Kirwan, media manager at disability equality charity Scope, said: “Attitudes and language like this are never acceptable.

“It’s not just ignorant and hurtful to disabled people, it has wider consequences. Negative attitudes hold disabled people back in all areas of life, from getting a job to shopping on the high street.

“Mr Borthwick needs to reflect on what he said, educate himself and do better. We hope he takes the opportunity to get to know the reality of disabled people’s lives.”

In a statement to the tabloid, Borthwick said: “I want to apologise sincerely and wholeheartedly for the words I used in the video showing my reaction to making it through Blackpool week on Strictly.”

He added: “It is no excuse, but I did not fully understand the derogatory term I used and its meaning. That is on me completely. Now I am aware, I am deeply embarrassed to have used the term and directed it in the way I did.”

Borthwick won the Strictly 2023 Christmas special with Nancy Xu, and won the best actor gong at the Inside Soap Awards in September of that year, with the show recognised with the best storyline for Loving And Losing Lola, about character Lola Pearce-Brown’s brain tumour diagnosis.

As part of the storyline, Borthwick, as Lola’s husband Jay, and Emma Barton, as Honey Mitchell, ran the London Marathon in character in honour of Lola after her death.

His suspension comes after Wynne Evans last week said he had been dropped by the BBC, following an apology saying that he used “inappropriate language” during the launch of the Strictly Come Dancing tour.

The Welsh opera singer, 53, is known for the Go Compare insurance advertisements, will no longer be a BBC Radio Wales presenter, he announced on May 30.

Earlier this year, he apologised for language that he called “inappropriate and unacceptable” after The Mail On Sunday reported that Evans was heard making a remark to host Janette Manrara in a video filmed during the Strictly launch event.

It is understood he was given a warning over the remark by tour producers.

In January, he said: “I’ve agreed with the BBC that I’ll take some time out from my radio show and the Strictly Live tour, as well as my other public commitments, to prioritise my wellbeing.

“I am deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate actions have caused and plan to take this time for self-reflection.

“Apologies to those I won’t get to see at the remaining performances and I’m grateful to my fellow tour gang for all the amazing support they have given me.”

The singer, who performed in the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Of The Opera and also won 2023’s Celebrity MasterChef, told The Sun earlier this month that the Strictly comment was not sexual or directed at one of the female cast but was a nickname for fellow contestant Borthwick.

He told the paper: “I didn’t see the statement, Old Spit-roast Boy was a nickname for Jamie Borthwick. I’m not a bad guy, I’m not a misogynist, I’m not any of these things.”

Evans added: “And so I went, ‘I’m so sorry’. And that was taken as a formal apology, so the press team issued a statement. I didn’t see it.

“When I read the apology within the context of the story as it had been written, I was absolutely horrified.”

Additional reporting by PA.

The local council trying to recruit a teacher for more than six years

A local council has been trying to recruit a teacher for a remote island primary school for more than six years, according to new figures.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats said data they uncovered shows that local authorities have had to readvertise more than 1,350 teaching posts in the last two years.

This includes a primary school teacher position on Papa Westray – one of the smallest islands in Orkney – which, at the time the request for information was made, had been vacant since the end of March 2019.

Figures released by councils show 692 teaching positions had to be readvertised in 2022-23, with a further 665 posts needed to be advertised again in 2023-24.

The Lib Dems said the data, uncovered using freedom of information laws, shows Moray Council has had to readvertise 252 teaching roles over the past two years, while Aberdeen has had to readvertise 206, Shetland 90, and Argyll and Bute 70.

Highland Council has had to readvertise 62 teaching posts, according to the data, just ahead of Dumfries and Galloway where the total was 61.

In addition, the party noted that Western Isles Council has advertised a PE teacher role nine times, while a post for a home economics teacher in Aberdeen was advertised six times – with East Ayrshire Council also adverting a teaching post six times.

Lib Dem education spokesman Willie Rennie said action is needed to “make teaching an attractive role if we are to tackle these shortfalls”.

He said: “Qualified teachers are enduring years of short-term, zero hours contracts yet some schools are advertising roles over and over again without success.

“This data suggests that there are acute shortages in rural areas and in key subjects like maths.

“Terrible workforce planning has resulted in missed opportunities for so many young people and so many teachers too. If we want every young person to reach their potential, they need teachers who can inform and inspire.”

He said the Lib Dems would introduce three-year packages for probationer teachers “who are willing to take on hard-to-fill roles”, and would also bring in “teacher premiums” in a bid to “reward the best teachers in schools with the greatest need”.

However he warned: “No-one believes education is high up the SNP’s agenda. That’s why we need a change of government to get Scottish education back to its best.”

A spokesperson for local government body Cosla accepted there are “long standing recruitment and retention challenges in remote, rural and island areas, and in some secondary school subjects”.

The spokesperson said: “Local authorities work hard to fill vacancies to meet the needs of learners in all areas of Scotland, but there are challenges.

“For example, we know that newly qualified teachers tend to seek posts within the central belt of Scotland.

“Many of the areas which struggle to recruit teachers are beautiful and exciting areas of the country to work in, with unique opportunities for learning and development.

“Cosla and Scottish Government have committed to working together on medium and long-term joint workforce planning, taking into account the importance of responding to issues in a way which addresses differing local needs.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The number of teachers in Scotland’s classrooms has increased by more than 2,500 over the past decade as a result of direct funding from the Scottish Government, with the number in permanent posts remaining stable at more than 80% over this period.

“However, we are working hard to ensure that teaching remains an attractive profession, with Scotland’s teachers continuing to be the best paid in the UK, and our teaching bursary scheme provides funding to career-changers wishing to undertake a teaching degree in the hardest to fill subjects.

“Ministers have been clear they are laser-focused on improving education and supporting Scotland’s teachers. That is why we are providing councils with £186.5 million this year to increase teacher numbers, and why ministers continue to engage regularly with local government and teaching unions.

“The Education Secretary also met School Leaders Scotland this week and agreed to host a roundtable with them, the General Teaching Council for Scotland, Cosla and other professional associations to discuss challenges around teacher recruitment in more detail.”