Kemi Badenoch’s Citizenship Plan Sparks Outrage: “Burning the Ladder” for Future Immigrants?

Kemi Badenoch’s proposal to increase the waiting period for British citizenship from 6 to 15 years has ignited a firestorm of criticism from netizens and immigration experts.

The plan, unveiled as part of her first major announcement as Tory leader, aims to tighten the immigration system by extending the period before migrants can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five to 10 years.

She said: “I want to reduce immigration and make living here actually mean something. We need to change the way our immigration system works. So I am announcing that the conservative party is going to do the following things differently: 1. If you want to stay in our country permanently and apply for indefinite leave to remain, the time you have to live here before you apply would increase from 5 years to 10 years.

“2. You will have to be a net contributor with a high enough salary, especially if you want to bring family members with you. And if you have a criminal record, you are banned.”

Dr. Dipo Awojide, @OgbeniDipo on X, expressed concerns about the significant impact on immigrants, stating, “Although she is in the opposition, everyone should pay attention to this… I must have spent around £7,000 – £10,000 on applications before becoming a British citizen. In my opinion, it is too expensive.”

Awojide also highlighted the importance of considering the reaction from the Labor party, which is set to introduce an immigration bill next week.

@OurFavOnlineDoc took a more scathing tone, pointing out the hypocrisy of Badenoch’s proposal given her own circumstances.

“Kemi Badenoch got a UK passport through birth citizenship in 1980… She never worked for citizenship. She never had to spend any time just to get citizenship.”

The doctor questioned why the UK would propose a 15-year waiting period when countries like Canada offer citizenship within three years, labeling it “15 years of slavery and 40% of taxes every year.”

Badenoch’s plan has sparked concerns about the fairness and practicality of the proposed changes.

With the Labor party set to introduce its own immigration bill, the debate on UK immigration policy is likely to intensify in the coming weeks.