European court decision could affect citizenship vote

THE European Court of Justice will issue a preliminary ruling today on a case relating to the free movement of persons that could prove a major influence on the outcome of next month’s controversial referendum on citizenship.

The Luxembourg-based court will this morning give the first indication on whether a national of a non-EU member state is entitled to claim residence in any country within the EU on the basis that their child is the national of another member state.

A Chinese woman, Man Levette Chen, is claiming such a right of residence in Britain on the basis that her three-year-old child was born in Ireland.