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| Tories would bar benefit-claim migrants from settling in UK | Tories would bar benefit-claim migrants from settling in UK |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Watch: Kemi Badenoch says her citizenship plan is "the right thing to do" | Watch: Kemi Badenoch says her citizenship plan is "the right thing to do" |
| Migrants on work visas who claim benefits will be barred from settling indefinitely in the UK, under Kemi Badenoch's first major policy announcement as Tory leader. | Migrants on work visas who claim benefits will be barred from settling indefinitely in the UK, under Kemi Badenoch's first major policy announcement as Tory leader. |
| Badenoch said the period before migrants can apply for indefinite leave to remain - which paves the way for British citizenship - should be extended from five to 10 years. | Badenoch said the period before migrants can apply for indefinite leave to remain - which paves the way for British citizenship - should be extended from five to 10 years. |
| Under her plan, the residency status would not be granted to migrants with criminal records, or those who had claimed benefits or social housing. | Under her plan, the residency status would not be granted to migrants with criminal records, or those who had claimed benefits or social housing. |
| The Tory leader said the right to citizenship and permanent residency "should only go to those who have demonstrated a real commitment to the UK". | The Tory leader said the right to citizenship and permanent residency "should only go to those who have demonstrated a real commitment to the UK". |
| Labour minister Angela Eagle said "after 14 years of shameful Tory failure no one will take seriously anything they claim". | Labour minister Angela Eagle said "after 14 years of shameful Tory failure no one will take seriously anything they claim". |
| Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) gives people the right to live, work and study in the UK. | Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) gives people the right to live, work and study in the UK. |
| It is usually possible for someone to apply for ILR if they have worked in the UK for five years, although it can be two or three years if they came to UK on particular visas., external | It is usually possible for someone to apply for ILR if they have worked in the UK for five years, although it can be two or three years if they came to UK on particular visas., external |
| A person can currently apply for British citizenship, 12 months after they have been granted indefinite leave to remain. | A person can currently apply for British citizenship, 12 months after they have been granted indefinite leave to remain. |
| The Conservatives say migrants should only be able to apply for British citizenship after having ILR for 15 years. That would increase the current waiting period from one year to five. | The Conservatives say migrants should only be able to apply for British citizenship after having ILR for 15 years. That would increase the current waiting period from one year to five. |
| The party wants the government to adopt the changes, backdated to 2021, by amending its Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill due to be debated in Parliament next week. | The party wants the government to adopt the changes, backdated to 2021, by amending its Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill due to be debated in Parliament next week. |
| Migrants in the UK on visas, illegally or seeking asylum are usually not able to claim welfare benefits and social housing. | Migrants in the UK on visas, illegally or seeking asylum are usually not able to claim welfare benefits and social housing. |
| This is a visa condition known as no recourse to public funds, which prevents access to state-funded welfare. | This is a visa condition known as no recourse to public funds, which prevents access to state-funded welfare. |
| Some migrants can apply to have the condition lifted, and according to the Migration Observatory, external, about 2,500 successfully did so in 2021 and 2022. | |
| Shadow home secretary Chris Philp told the BBC "if someone over a period of time has constantly claimed benefits and not worked, then we don't want to give them indefinite leave to remain". | Shadow home secretary Chris Philp told the BBC "if someone over a period of time has constantly claimed benefits and not worked, then we don't want to give them indefinite leave to remain". |
| He said migrants claiming ILR would have to show they were a net contributor to the economy to be eligible for British citizenship, under the Tory plans. | He said migrants claiming ILR would have to show they were a net contributor to the economy to be eligible for British citizenship, under the Tory plans. |
| That means they would have to prove their salary and tax contributions were greater than their costs to the state. | That means they would have to prove their salary and tax contributions were greater than their costs to the state. |
| Speaking to the BBC, Badenoch said the current rules had created a "conveyor belt" to citizenship for those who had just arrived in the country. | Speaking to the BBC, Badenoch said the current rules had created a "conveyor belt" to citizenship for those who had just arrived in the country. |
| She argued too many people were getting citizenship through this route and that was "creating a strain on public services". | She argued too many people were getting citizenship through this route and that was "creating a strain on public services". |
| "We need to make sure that people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK, so no criminal records, they should be net contributors to the economy, not relying on benefits but people who care about our country and our communities." | "We need to make sure that people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK, so no criminal records, they should be net contributors to the economy, not relying on benefits but people who care about our country and our communities." |
| She said she believed the policy would bring numbers down but would not say by how much. | She said she believed the policy would bring numbers down but would not say by how much. |
| Last year, shortly after becoming Conservative leader, Badenoch said her party had got it "wrong" on immigration during its time in government, which saw net migration rise to a record high of 906,000. | Last year, shortly after becoming Conservative leader, Badenoch said her party had got it "wrong" on immigration during its time in government, which saw net migration rise to a record high of 906,000. |
| She has said there should be a hard cap on migrant numbers but declined to say what it should be set at, arguing it would depend on the situation at any given time. | She has said there should be a hard cap on migrant numbers but declined to say what it should be set at, arguing it would depend on the situation at any given time. |
| Asked if she was panicking because of the rising popularity of Nigel Farage's Reform UK, Badenoch said her party "needed to rebuild trust with the public" and that it was natural for the public to look to "the protest party". | Asked if she was panicking because of the rising popularity of Nigel Farage's Reform UK, Badenoch said her party "needed to rebuild trust with the public" and that it was natural for the public to look to "the protest party". |
| Badenoch has made a point of saying she would not be unveiling detailed policies for some time, talking instead about values. | Badenoch has made a point of saying she would not be unveiling detailed policies for some time, talking instead about values. |
| But she said it makes sense for the Conservatives to set out an alternative approach to immigration now because the government was bringing forward an immigration bill next week. | But she said it makes sense for the Conservatives to set out an alternative approach to immigration now because the government was bringing forward an immigration bill next week. |
| The Conservatives plan to table an amendment to the bill. | The Conservatives plan to table an amendment to the bill. |
| Conservative MPs are concerned about the rise of Reform UK, which takes a hard line on immigration. | Conservative MPs are concerned about the rise of Reform UK, which takes a hard line on immigration. |
| That is one of the reasons Badenoch feels she needs to come out so strongly on an issue which concerns so many Conservative voters now. | That is one of the reasons Badenoch feels she needs to come out so strongly on an issue which concerns so many Conservative voters now. |
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