Does anyone know a way that I can remain an English subject - yes I
know I did not use the word British - and opt out of citizenship of
the European Union?

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 02 Jan 2003 13:34 PST

Dear miketarrant,

Would - theoretically - the citizenship of a European region that is
under the rule of Her Majesty but not part of the European Union
fulfill your needs? This means, would you like an option to remain a
subject of Queen Elizabeth - but not of Englan -, resident in Europe
and outside the EU?

Regards,
Scriptor

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Clarification of Question by miketarrant-ga on 02 Jan 2003 15:00 PST

Citizenship of another nation is an acceptable solution as long as I
retain my rights of residence in the country of my birth (England) and
I am able to stand as a parliamentary candidate for the British
Parlaiment (England has been denied this option).

The British Nationality Act 1981 came into force on 1 January 1983. 
It replaced all previous nationality laws.
The 1981 Act replaced citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies
with three separate citizenships:-
1. British citizenship, for people closely connected with the United
Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man;
2. British Dependent Territories citizenship, for people connected
with the British overseas territories (see Note 3);
3. British Overseas citizenship, for those citizens of the United
Kingdom and Colonies without connections with either the United
Kingdom or the British overseas territories.
http://www.workpermits.gov.uk/default.asp?PageId=145

You can if you wish, sign the English Citizenship Register and
renounce your British nationality, paradoxically on a Scottish site at
http://simplyscottish.safeshopper.com/560/cat560.htm?694  However,
this has no legal status, because England is not recognised as a
separate state apart from the rest of the United Kingdom.

Although I doubt if you can renounce your citizenship, it may be worth
you knowing that citizens of all Commonwealth members and the Republic
of Ireland are eligible to stand for parliament.

So... Canada or Australia would be good bets, as they have the Queen
as their head of state (so their citizens are still her 'subjects')
but they are not part of the EU. Don't get confused by places such as
the Channel Islands, although they have their own legislatures the UK
is still responsible for their foreign policy - and thus they are in
the EU.

Also, to my knowledge the UK, unlike many countries, does not have a
restriction on dual citizenship. Japan has this, when my uncle married
a Japanese lady she had to renounce her Japanese citizenship before
she could take up British citizenship.

This is probably why I suspect the short answer to your question is
No. You could (maybe) become a citizen of another country, but there
is no way to stop being a citizen of the UK. Your status as a UK
citizen is intangible, you could throw away your passport but you'd
still qualify for another. Similarly, your EU citizenship (not that
there really is such a thing, merely a right to vote in elections for
MEPs) derives from your nationality. So, where ever you are in the
world, whatever you sign, you're an EU citizen.