Senator calm in UK home brew

KEY crossbench senator Nick Xenophon could stage an almost immediate political comeback if he is disqualified from Federal Parliament by the High Court for holding British citizenship.

Senator Xenophon yesterday met legal advisers to discuss plans to formally renounce the British Overseas Citizenship that he discovered on Friday he inherited from his Cypriot-born father, Theo.

If the High Court rules that Senator Xenophon has breached Section 44 of the Constitution, it is likely that a “countback” of ballot papers would result in Nick Xenophon Team candidate Tim Storer taking the vacant Senate seat. Mr Storer’s immediate resignation would allow Family First to formally choose Mr Xenophon — cleansed of British nationality — to fill the casual vacancy caused by his own disqualification.

Senator Xenophon said he was confident the High Court would clear him of breaching the Constitution and allow him to stay in Parliament.

“People need to know I can keep calm and carry on,’’ he joked, in a reference to the British World War II rallying cry.

Senator Xenophon has British Overseas Citizenship because his father lived in Cyprus when it was a UK colony. Overseas citizenship does not entitle Senator Xenophon to live or work in Britain.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young criticised Senator Xenophon for making light of his situation. “He actually has breached the Constitution.

“I don’t think it’s a matter to be laughed at,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

Senator Xenophon hit back at Senator Hanson-Young, saying he had been unaware of her constitutional expertise.

Senator Hanson-Young also flagged that her party would move to challenge ministerial decisions made by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce while his eligibility to be in the Parliament remained in limbo. RESIGNED from federal parliament earlier in July after discovering he still held citizenship to his country of birth, New Zealand.