By Prosper Mene
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK Conservative Party, has unveiled a controversial new policy proposal that would require immigrants to wait a minimum of 10 years before becoming eligible to apply for a British passport.
Under the proposed law, the period for migrants to qualify for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), a prerequisite for citizenship would double from the current five years to 10. Additionally, Badenoch’s plan would bar migrants who have claimed benefits, lived in social housing, or have criminal records from ever securing permanent residency or a British passport. She also proposed extending the waiting period after obtaining ILR to apply for citizenship from one year to five, resulting in a minimum 15-year process to gain a British passport.
“Britain is our home, not a hotel,” Badenoch declared, arguing that the current system acts as a “conveyor belt” to citizenship, straining public services. “We need to ensure people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK, no criminal records, net contributors to the economy, and people who care about our communities,” she told the BBC.
The proposal has sparked two sided reactions. Supporters, including some Conservative voters, argue it ensures only those fully integrated and contributing to society gain citizenship. However, critics, including Labour minister Angela Eagle, have dismissed the plan as unworkable and punitive, pointing out that many of the proposed restrictions, such as the 10-year ILR wait for certain visa categories, are already in place. Eagle also accused the Conservatives of “chaotic” immigration policies during their 14 years in power, which saw net migration reach a record high of 906,000.
A Focaldata poll revealed limited public support for Badenoch’s plan, with only 8% backing the 15-year citizenship threshold, while 56% believe citizenship should be available after five years or less. Critics, including Nick Beales from the Refugee & Migrant Forum of Essex and London, argue the policy unfairly targets low-income workers, such as carers, who rely on in-work benefits to survive, and could hinder integration rather than promote it.
The proposal has also drawn sharp criticism from some Nigerian communities, with X users accusing Badenoch, who was born to Nigerian parents, of hypocrisy given her own immigrant background. “If this law was in place during her parents’ stay in the UK, would she have become who she is today?” one commenter wrote.
With tensions rising, Badenoch’s plan fuels the heated UK immigration debate, showcasing its potential
