Kemi Badenoch, Britain’s Conservative leader, has called for significant changes to the process of acquiring British citizenship, proposing that immigrants should only be eligible to apply after residing in the United Kingdom (UK) for 15 years, rather than the current six.
In one of her first major policy announcements since taking office, Badenoch also argued that indefinite leave to remain—a crucial step towards citizenship—should be denied to individuals with criminal records or those who have claimed benefits or social housing.
Reflecting on her party’s past immigration policies, Badenoch admitted last year that the Conservatives had “got it wrong” during their time in government, a period that saw net migration soar to a record 906,000.
She has since criticised existing rules for creating what she described as a “conveyor belt” to citizenship, allowing individuals to secure British nationality too easily. This, she warned, was putting undue pressure on public services.
Speaking to the BBC, Badenoch emphasised that citizenship should be regarded as a privilege rather than an automatic right, insisting that it should be reserved for those with a “meaningful connection to the UK”.
About Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
The Conservative Party has proposed stricter immigration rules, calling for the period before individuals can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) to be doubled from five to ten years.
Under the plan, those granted ILR would then need to wait an additional five years before becoming eligible for British citizenship.
The party is urging the government to implement these changes retroactively from 2021 by amending the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which is set to be debated in Parliament next week.
ILR grants individuals the right to live, work, and study in the UK without time restrictions. Currently, most applicants can apply after five years of residency, though this period is shorter—two or three years—for those on specific visa routes. At present, British citizenship can be sought 12 months after receiving ILR.
“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”, Badenoch argued further.
Badenoch has called for a strict cap on migration but declined to specify what the limit should be, arguing that it would need to be adjusted based on circumstances at any given time.
She stated that her party must “rebuild trust with the public” and that it was natural for voters to turn to “the protest party” in frustration. Many had expected Badenoch to take her time before unveiling detailed policies, given her earlier emphasis on promoting values rather than specific measures.
However, she insisted this was not a knee-jerk reaction but a timely intervention, as the government is set to introduce an immigration bill next week. She argued that it made sense for the Conservatives to outline their alternative approach now.
Nonetheless, some will see her announcement as a direct response to Reform UK’s surge in the polls, which has unsettled many Conservative MPs.
This shifting political landscape is one of the key reasons Badenoch has taken such a firm stance on immigration—an issue of increasing concern among Conservative supporters.
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