Badenoch Proposes Tougher Rules For British Citizenship
UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has proposed significant changes to British citizenship laws, including extending the required residency period from six to 15 years before immigrants can apply.
In one of her first major policy announcements since taking office, Badenoch also stated that indefinite leave to remain (ILR) should not be granted to individuals with criminal records or those who have received benefits or social housing. Speaking to the BBC, she emphasized that citizenship should be a privilege, not just a right, and should be reserved for those with a “meaningful connection to the UK.”
Labour minister Angela Eagle dismissed the proposal, stating, “After 14 years of shameful Tory failure, no one will take seriously anything they claim.”
Currently, immigrants can apply for ILR after working in the UK for five years—although this can be shorter depending on visa type—and can seek citizenship 12 months after obtaining ILR. Under Badenoch’s proposed policy, the ILR waiting period would be extended to 10 years, with applicants required to wait an additional five years before applying for citizenship.
The Conservatives are pushing for these changes to be retroactively applied from 2021 through an amendment to the Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill, set for parliamentary debate next week.
Defending the proposal, Badenoch argued that the current system had become a “conveyor belt” to citizenship, straining public services. “We need to ensure that people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK—no criminal records, no reliance on benefits, but rather people who contribute to the economy and care about our communities,” she said.
While Badenoch claimed the policy would reduce immigration numbers, she declined to specify by how much. She has previously admitted that the Conservative Party had “got it wrong” on immigration, with net migration reaching a record high of 906,000 last year.
When asked if her proposals were a reaction to the rising popularity of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, Badenoch insisted her party was focused on “rebuilding trust with the public” and acknowledged that voters often turn to “protest parties” in times of dissatisfaction.
