Comments by "John Brereton" (@johnbrereton5229) on "Is it offensive to ask somebody where they are 'really' from?" video.

Spike Milligan was British from 1918 untill 1962 when the law changed for Commonwealth citizens. After applying he was denied British citizenship due to refusing the oath of allegiance. He was then stateless, untill he applied for irish citizenship which he was granted due to his father being Irish. Due to Ireland once being a part of the British state for centuries, an irish passport gave him almost as much rights as a British one.
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@natashaferran420 Yes well perhaps, but I think his point was that he was born in 1918 with British citizenship and had fought during WW2 in the British army and so had proved his allegiance. However, Ireland became independent in 1922 and the laws for Commonwealth citizens changed in 1962 so his position had changed. Though he did also suffer from bi-polar which could make him difficult at times.
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The accident of birth is a rediculous method of defining nationality. Many people are born in strange places or even countries other than their own. Nationality should be decided by blood not soil, as it is in Germany.
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@trevorhoward2254 Yes there is! You must swear allegiance to the Queen.
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@oldboygeorge7688 Spike Milligan was born in India in 1918 and people born in india before 1949 were British nationals and Commonwealth citizens but not British citizens.
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