Moses Combe

ISLINGTON’s favourite anti-gentrification TikTok star has reflected on the “painstaking” journey he has faced to gain British citizenship, after over two decades of living in this country.

Moses Combe, a Holloway local who has amassed millions of views for his online videos, said he was surprised at the reception he’d received after sharing news of his successful citizenship bid.

His food reviews and satirical takes on gentrification across Islington have seen him garner local celebrity status, but Mr Combe said many people would be surprised to learn the backstory of how he ended up in Holloway.

He told the Tribune how he had moved to the UK as a refugee from Burundi when he was one, and had been living here with his family under indefinite leave to remain.

“I actually decided to just go and get my citizenship after I saw a video of Nigel Farage talking about scrapping indefinite leave to remain,” he said.

“It was kind of an eye-opener for me, because if he ever got into power I would’ve been cooked.

“I’d wanted this citizenship my whole life, so it is such a personal milestone for me, it’s a huge weight off my shoulders.”

Mr Combe first lived in Bedfordshire but moved to London as a child and then settled in Islington around seven years ago.

To obtain his citizenship he had to spend thousands of pounds and take a test containing “the weirdest historical facts you could ever imagine”.

He added: “This has been a painstaking and expensive journey. After two decades of being in this country I can finally be treated like a first-class citizen. Whenever I would come back through the airport I would be taken through immigration and be asked questions like this wasn’t my home.

“But I’ve always seen Britain as my home and I’ve always spoken English, I don’t really know anywhere else other than the UK.”

He added that over the last few years, it had been hard to see the negative rhetoric towards refugees and migrants who were most often just “normal people” trying to get on with their lives.

“It’s sad to see how some people treat refugees and migrants. It’s hard because I’ve lived here my whole life and I just do my thing. I don’t know why it makes some people so mad.”

Since sharing the news online, Mr Combe said he had received a flurry of supportive messages, and even been told that his journey has inspired others to get their citizenship.

The ceremony itself was an “amazing day” at Islington Town Hall, where Mr Combe was given his official certificate and an Islington case for his new passport.

He celebrated with a full-English breakfast.