Kennedy: Pupil ceremony proposals puerile

Labour peer Baroness Helena Kennedy has spoken out against Lord Goldsmith's citizenship proposals, condemning them as "puerile".

Speaking on the Today programme, Baroness Kennedy said symbols of healthy democracies were not to be found in rituals like the citizenship ceremonies for school-leavers among the review's suggestions.

Such a proposal is "risible", "silly" and a "serious mistake", she insisted.

"I think it's actually divisive because I think there are people for example who will feel that it's somewhat coercive," Baroness Kennedy explained.

"If you are part of a school community then I think there will be quite a number of people who might feel that they don't want to do this because their loyalty is shown in other ways; their commitment to their country is shown in other ways.

"I think the idea of being involved in things and volunteering and doing things within your community, those are all gestures of showing that you care about your country and the people who live in it."