Lamb renounces UK citizenship

LABOR’S Susan Lamb has renounced her British citizenship and found a powerful union backer as she prepares to contest her seat of Longman, north of Brisbane.

IT took Labor’s Susan Lamb just six days to renounce her British citizenship, after she insisted for more than six months that she had already taken all possible steps.

It clears the way for Ms Lamb to recontest her Queensland seat of Longman, while the LNP has been caught short and is still a week away from choosing a candidate.

Susan Lamb resigned in Parliament last week. Picture: Gary Ramage

Ms Lamb received confirmation from the UK Home Office yesterday that her application to renounce her dual citizenship was successful.

The powerful United Voice union, rallying around its first elected Federal MP in Ms Lamb, has already begun mobilising members for a campaign and held a strategy meeting on Monday, while the former MP has been doorknocking since the weekend.

The LNP could be saved by suggestions the super Saturday of by-elections could be delayed until July, instead of the previously speculated June 16.

There are three LNP candidates in the running, including former state MP Trevor Ruthenberg and Morayfield state candidate Jason Snow.

But there are frustrations within the party that a candidate has not already been selected and little was done to expedite the process, effectively giving Labor almost two weeks of clean air.

“We need to hit the ground soon,” one party source said.

Labor Party town hall meeting with Bill Shorten and Susan Lamb at Morayfield yesterday. Picture: AAP/ Ric Frearson

Another said they would have to focus on targeting Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and play a preferences game.

Ms Lamb tried to renounce her British citizenship before the 2016 election, but was told she needed her parents’ marriage certificate.

Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash said that the renunciation — which was eventually done without the marriage certificate — showed that Ms Lamb was never entitled to sit in the Australian Parliament.

“And what does that say about Bill Shorten?” Ms Cash asked.

Speaker Tony Smith is understood to still be consulting with the Australian Electoral Commission, as well as party leaders, over when the five by-elections will be held.