Kemi Badenoch immigration policy

Kemi Badenoch Favors Tighter Rules for British Citizenship, Drawing Criticism

In a landmark, controversial move, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has suggested radical reforms to the UK’s immigration and citizenship policy.

• Announced on Feb. 6, 2025, the plan would:
• Make it much more difficult for immigrants to become British citizens.
• Double the length of time required to be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five years to 10 years.
• Impose another five-year wait before they can apply for citizenship.

Badenoch, who was born in Nigeria and arrived as a migrant, claims that the proposal will mean only those who genuinely add to society in the UK can achieve British citizenship.

Her plan includes:

• Tougher financial requirements.
• A clean criminal record requirement.
• A lifetime ban on anyone who came into the UK illegally or overstayed a visa from ever receiving legal status.

“Burning the Bridge” — Angry Reaction to Badenoch’s Position

Critics have pointed out the irony that a politician who was once a migrant to the UK is now calling for a policy that would make it almost impossible for others to follow her lead.

• Badenoch has previously stated she “wasn’t prepared” to “hand the UK economy over to the government” when she arrived as a child, while she and others have argued she is now “burning the bridge” for future migrants.

“This is really unfair,” says an immigration rights activist.

• “Badenoch could have come here, built a career, and now she wants to close the door behind her. It is a betrayal of the immigrant experience she herself lived.”

The existing system:

• Most migrants apply for ILR after five years of residence and work in the UK.
• Citizenship eligibility follows after an additional 12 months.

Under Badenoch’s plan:

• Immigrants would need to wait a total of 15 years to become British.
• This drastic change may render many in limbo.

Political and Public Reaction

• While some Conservatives have backed the policy as a way to curb immigration, others — along with opposition parties — have warned it could hurt the economy by deterring skilled workers from coming to the UK.
• Business leaders fear it will be harder to attract global talent if immigration rules are tightened.

Badenoch’s position has sparked fierce debate with an election on the horizon.

• Will voters embrace her tougher approach, or view it as an unfair policy based on political interest and ambition rather than fairness?