By Gloria Nosa
UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, accusing it of opening Britain’s borders too wide and undermining national security through what she called “reckless immigration reforms.”
In a strongly worded video statement shared on her official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, Badenoch declared that the United Kingdom should be treated as “a home, not a hotel,” warning that Labour’s new citizenship proposals could see up to two million immigrants automatically qualify for British citizenship starting next year.
“From next year, two million immigrants can automatically claim British citizenship — two million people! That’s almost twice the population of Birmingham,” Badenoch said. “Labour’s plan is not about fairness; it’s about weakening our borders and rewarding illegal entry.”
The opposition leader accused Starmer’s government of “playing politics with the country’s future,” arguing that such policies would place immense pressure on housing, healthcare, and social welfare systems.
Badenoch reiterated her party’s commitment to stricter immigration control, citing the Conservative Deportation Bill as the foundation of a “fair but firm” immigration strategy. Among the key measures she outlined were:
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Deportation of all convicted foreign criminals
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Mandatory age verification to prevent asylum fraud
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Higher salary thresholds for visa eligibility
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Limiting the abuse of the Human Rights Act in deportation cases
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Making asylum support repayable
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Removing permanent residency rights for those dependent on welfare benefits
“Until these measures become law, the problem won’t be fixed,” she stated. “Labour should stop blocking the bill and join us in defending Britain. Our country is a home, not a hotel — and if we don’t protect it, no one else will.”
In a post accompanying her video, Badenoch accused Labour of consistently obstructing Conservative immigration reforms, writing: “Labour has blocked every single measure we’ve put forward to cut immigration and stop abuse of the system. Their new proposal is weak — it won’t work. It’s time they stopped playing games and backed our Deportation Bill.”
The comments have ignited fierce debate across the UK political landscape, with supporters praising Badenoch’s tough stance on border control, while critics accuse her of stoking anti-immigrant sentiment ahead of a potential general election showdown with Starmer.
As the immigration debate continues to dominate British politics, Badenoch’s message was unmistakably clear — Britain’s doors should be guarded, not flung open.
