Badenoch Pushes Tougher UK Citizenship Rules, Says Passport is a Privilege

 UK opposition leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to tighten citizenship rules, emphasizing that a British passport should be earned, not an automatic right.

In her first major policy announcement since taking over the Conservative Party in November, Badenoch outlined plans to make it harder for migrants to settle permanently in the UK. The move is seen as an attempt to prevent Conservative supporters from defecting to the hard-right Reform UK party.

Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Badenoch stated that migrants must demonstrate a net contribution to the UK economy—through work and tax payments—to qualify for indefinite leave to remain. Those who have relied on benefits would not be granted residency, she told the BBC.

“We need to slow down the track for citizenship. A UK passport should be a privilege, not an automatic right,” said Badenoch, who was born in London to Nigerian parents and raised in Nigeria.

She also proposed doubling the waiting period for migrants to apply for indefinite leave to remain from five years to ten years.

Echoing her stance, Shadow Interior Minister Chris Philp told BBC radio on Thursday that those who had consistently claimed benefits without working would be denied indefinite residency. He added that migrants earning low wages or failing to secure stable employment could be required to leave the UK.

The next general election is not expected until 2029, but the Conservatives face an uphill battle to unseat Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party. The July elections saw the Conservatives suffer historic losses, securing just 121 of the 650 parliamentary seats, while Labour secured 406.

Under Conservative leadership, net migration surged to record levels, fueling support for Reform UK, led by Brexit hardliner Nigel Farage. The party won five parliamentary seats in the last election, marking a significant breakthrough for the far right.

A recent YouGov poll showed Reform UK leading for the first time, though its one-point advantage over Labour remains within the margin of error.