In a desperate bid to win back voters from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, the Conservative chief Kemi Badenoch said she would make it more difficult to gain British citizenship
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch’s plan to crackdown on those attempting to settle in Britain has been mocked by critics for lacking “credibility”.
In a desperate bid to win back voters from Nigel Farage’s right-wing Reform UK, the Conservative chief said she would make it more difficult to gain British citizenship. She said migrants who have claimed benefits will be banned from attempting to settle permanently in the UK.
It is the first major policy unveiled by Ms Badenoch and comes after a series of national polls have shown the Tories trailing in third place at Westminster. But both Labour and the Lib Dems said the public would not trust the promises made by the Tories after making a “total mess” of the immigration system during 14 years in power.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper responded on LBC: “I can’t take seriously a single word they say. They said all sorts of things and they quadrupled net migration in the space of four years. They totally lost control of our border.” She added: “You’ll forgive me if I don’t give much credibility to anything the Conservatives say.”
Ms Badenoch warned on Wednesday indefinite leave to remain, which can be used to later apply for citizenship, should not be granted to those who have criminal records or who had claimed benefits.
“We need to make sure that people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK, so no criminal records, they should be net contributors to the economy, not relying on benefits but people who care about our country and our communities,” she said.
But most work visas already come with “no recourse to public funds” conditions – meaning they are prevented from claiming benefits or using social housing.
The Tory leader also said her party would double the length of time before people can qualify for indefinite leave to remain from five years to 10 years. And those with the status would then have to wait five years rather than one before applying for British citizenship.
Last year Ms Badenoch admitted the Tories had got it “wrong” on immigration as net migration reached a record high of 906,000. Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle responded to the new policy: “The Tories completely lost control of our borders in the 14 years they had in government.
“While Kemi Badenoch was in the Cabinet and Chris Philp was in the Home Office immigration hit a record high of nearly a million and dangerous small boat crossings soared. After 14 years of shameful Tory failure no one will take seriously anything they claim or promise now.”
The Lib Dem home affairs spokeswoman Lisa Smart added: “The previous Conservative government made a total mess of our immigration system. Once again the Conservatives are making headline-grabbing promises that they have no intention of keeping and the public simply don’t trust.
“Last week Priti Patel admitted that the Conservative Party did not deliver in Government on immigration – so how can we now trust them again? The government has a mammoth task ahead of them now – rebuilding an immigration system that works for our economy and country, while fixing public trust in the process.”
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