Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has announced a set of stringent immigration measures aimed at making it harder for Nigerians and other migrants to obtain UK citizenship. In a video shared on her X (formerly Twitter) handle, Badenoch declared her intention to reduce immigration and ensure that “living here actually means something.”
Outlining the proposed policies, Badenoch stated that:
1. The residency requirement for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) would increase from five to ten years.
2. Applicants must be net contributors with a high enough salary, particularly if they wish to bring family members.
3. Individuals with criminal records would be permanently banned from obtaining UK citizenship.
4. The waiting period for a British passport would be extended from 12 months to five years after securing ILR, meaning it would take a minimum of 15 years to begin the process.
5. Those who enter the UK illegally or overstay their visas would be permanently barred from obtaining leave to remain or citizenship.
Badenoch, who herself obtained UK citizenship by birth in the 1980s, emphasized the need to reform the immigration system to ensure that acquiring British citizenship is more rigorous.
However, her announcement has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from Nigerians on social media, who accused her of hypocrisy. Many pointed out that she personally benefited from birthright citizenship, a provision that was abolished in 1981, just a year after she was born.
A popular X user, @OurFavonlineDoc, wrote: “Aunty Kemi, your proposal is funny and heavily hypocritical. You benefited from an easy migration pathway of birth citizenship just one year before it was abolished. Now, you want to burn the ladder that got you here.”
Another user, @BladeoftheS, noted: “Kemi Badenoch is only a UK citizen because her mother came to the UK for two weeks to give birth to her. She only returned to the UK as an adult due to this loophole she abused.”
Badenoch’s push to tighten immigration rules comes amid growing political debates in the UK over border control and migration policies, with many questioning whether her proposals will withstand public scrutiny and legal challenges.
