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Liberal MP John Alexander makes inquiries into possible British citizenship

Liberal MP John Alexander is urgently making inquiries to determine whether he holds British citizenship through his British-born father.

The Member for Bennelong’s father, Gilbert Alexander, was born in England in 1907 and arrived in Australia in 1911, Fairfax Media reported.

If disqualified from Parliament, the government would be forced to a byelection in the Sydney seat, which Mr Alexander holds by a 7.8 per cent margin.

It would also threaten the Turnbull government’s majority in Parliament.

A search of British records found no trace of Gilbert Alexander, who died in 1987, having formally renounced his British citizenship before his son, John Alexander, was born in 1951.

Australian citizenship was created in 1949, giving Gilbert Alexander just two years to renounce his British citizenship without passing it onto his son.

Mr Alexander has reportedly contacted British authorities to confirm his status.

The case resembles that of former Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash, who was disqualified by the High Court over her British citizenship by descent through her father.

In a statement, Mr Alexander confirmed his father was born in Britain in 1907 and moved to Australia as a young child.

“He became an Australian citizen as soon as he could,” Mr Alexander said in the statement. “I understand he renounced his British citizenship before I was born because he was a proud Australian.

“I was born in 1951 as an Australian citizen.”

Mr Alexander did not specify when he believed his father renounced his British citizenship.

The ABC has reported that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was made aware of Mr Alexander’s situation on Monday afternoon.

Mr Turnbull earlier announced plans for a citizenship disclosure process, and said he received advice from federal director of the Liberal Party Andrew Hirst, that all Liberal MPs believed they would not fall foul of section 44(i) of the constitution.

Liberal backbencher Craig Kelly said he was not aware of Mr Alexander’s situation, but said it could spark an early election if more MPs were embroiled in the saga.

“If there are several people that are caught by this it could lead to an early election,” he told ABC radio on Monday.

“But we can’t worry about that, our job as Members of Parliament is to put the constitution first.”

– with wires

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