No immigrant should stay in UK forever, Kemi Badenoch tells Labour
Leader of the UK Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has urged the Labour government to retain its proposed 10-year qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), insisting that immigrants who arrive in Britain on temporary work visas should not automatically be allowed to settle permanently.
In a statement shared on her X account on Monday, Badenoch criticised calls by some Labour lawmakers to soften the proposed immigration reforms.
She argued that temporary work visas should not be regarded as a guaranteed pathway to permanent residency and pledged Conservative Party support for the government’s original proposal if it is presented to Parliament without changes.
In a letter jointly signed with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp and addressed to the UK Home Secretary, Badenoch warned against reports that about two million migrants who entered the UK on work visas since 2021 could be exempted from the proposed changes.
She described such a move as a mistake, arguing that extending the qualifying period from five to 10 years would help ensure that only migrants making a significant long-term economic contribution qualify for permanent settlement.
Badenoch also maintained that granting indefinite leave to remain after only five years would increase pressure on Britain’s welfare system because successful applicants become eligible for state benefits and can later apply for British citizenship.
She stressed that changing the settlement rules would not amount to a retrospective policy since temporary work visas do not guarantee permanent residence.
She said the Conservative Party would support the Labour government if it proceeds with the original immigration proposal, adding that the decision would serve as a test of Labour’s commitment to reducing immigration and strengthening the UK’s border control policies.