The British Government is considering a proposal to end the automatic right of Commonwealth nationals to live in the UK using ancestry visas.

The visas allow people whose grandparents were born in Britain to live and work there for four years and eventually apply to stay.

The permit has allowed thousands of young Australians to use Britain as a base for travel.

British Labour MP Austin Mitchell says the proposal is a slap in the face for Commonwealth countries.

"Here you have a long-standing historical and emotional ties, ties of kith and kin, and indeed supporting each other through two World Wars and events afterwards," he said.

"You can't just kick away historical obligations like that."