Kemi Badenoch unveils first major policy as Tory leader - everyone makes same point

In a hopeless bid to triumph backmost voters from Nigel Farage's Reform UK, the Conservative main Kemi Badenoch said she would marque it much hard to summation British citizenship

Tory person Kemi Badenoch's program to crackdown connected those attempting to settee successful Britain has been mocked by critics for lacking "credibility".

In a hopeless bid to triumph backmost voters from Nigel Farage's right-wing Reform UK, the Conservative main said she would marque it much hard to summation British citizenship. She said migrants who person claimed benefits volition beryllium banned from attempting to settee permanently successful the UK.

It is the archetypal large argumentation unveiled by Ms Badenoch and comes aft a bid of nationalist polls person shown the Tories trailing successful 3rd spot astatine Westminster. But some Labour and the Lib Dems said the nationalist would not spot the promises made by the Tories aft making a "total mess" of the migration strategy during 14 years successful power.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper responded connected LBC: "I can't instrumentality earnestly a azygous connection they say. They said each sorts of things and they quadrupled nett migration successful the abstraction of 4 years. They wholly mislaid power of our border." She added: "You'll forgive maine if I don't springiness overmuch credibility to thing the Conservatives say."

Ms Badenoch warned connected Wednesday indefinite permission to remain, which tin beryllium utilized to aboriginal use for citizenship, should not beryllium granted to those who person transgression records oregon who had claimed benefits.

"We request to marque definite that radical coming present person a real, meaningful transportation to the UK, truthful nary transgression records, they should beryllium nett contributors to the economy, not relying connected benefits but radical who attraction astir our state and our communities," she said.

But astir enactment visas already travel with "no recourse to nationalist funds" conditions - meaning they are prevented from claiming benefits oregon utilizing societal housing.

The Tory person besides said her enactment would treble the magnitude of clip earlier radical tin suffice for indefinite permission to stay from 5 years to 10 years. And those with the presumption would past person to hold 5 years alternatively than 1 earlier applying for British citizenship.

Last twelvemonth Ms Badenoch admitted the Tories had got it "wrong" connected migration arsenic nett migration reached a grounds precocious of 906,000. Home Office curate Dame Angela Eagle responded to the caller policy: “The Tories wholly mislaid power of our borders successful the 14 years they had successful government.

"While Kemi Badenoch was successful the Cabinet and Chris Philp was successful the Home Office migration deed a grounds precocious of astir a cardinal and unsafe tiny vessel crossings soared. After 14 years of shameful Tory nonaccomplishment nary 1 volition instrumentality earnestly thing they assertion oregon committedness now."

The Lib Dem location affairs spokeswoman Lisa Smart added: “The erstwhile Conservative authorities made a full messiness of our migration system. Once again the Conservatives are making headline-grabbing promises that they person nary volition of keeping and the nationalist simply don’t trust.

“Last week Priti Patel admitted that the Conservative Party did not present successful Government connected migration - truthful however tin we present spot them again? The authorities has a mammoth task up of them present - rebuilding an migration strategy that works for our system and country, portion fixing nationalist spot successful the process.”