Tories will not deport legally settled people, Badenoch clarifies

Conservative Leadership Clarifies Immigration Policy Amid Backlash

Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, has sought to clear up confusion surrounding the party's stance on deporting legally settled families in the UK. The controversy emerged after a shadow Home Office minister, Katie Lam, was accused of stating that large numbers of families would be deported under a future Tory government.

Lam's comments sparked a backlash from within her own party and among some Conservative MPs, with many criticizing her remarks as inaccurate. However, Badenoch has now clarified that the party does not intend to make changes to immigration rules retrospectively.

In an interview earlier this month, Lam stated that the party's policy was to revoke indefinite leave to remain (ILR) for thousands of people who have made lives in the UK, effectively forcing them to "go home" if the country wants to be "culturally coherent." However, Badenoch has since dismissed these claims as "imprecise."

The controversy revolves around a draft bill tabled by the Conservatives earlier this month, which would strip ILR from individuals who claim benefits or have an income below £38,700. While Badenoch's spokesperson initially said that Lam was in line with party policy, the Tories later clarified that their stance had changed.

In response to criticism, Badenoch has emphasized the importance of making policies "coherent" and "work with changes and adaptations." She stated that only if an individual commits a crime would they lose their ILR status, and that the party does not believe in making things "retrospective."

The issue has highlighted concerns about the Conservative Party's stance on immigration, particularly among those who have made lives in the UK. The debate has also raised questions about how benefits, such as maternity pay, would be affected by changes to ILR rules.

Labour has called for clarity on these issues, and Keir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of "sinking to new depths" with their immigration policy. With the Conservative Party's stance now clarified, it remains to be seen whether the proposed changes will go ahead and how they will impact those living in the UK.

I dont get why theres so much fuss about this . Like I know some people have been here for ages and built lives, but what about the ones who just showed up a few years ago? Its like, we gotta make sure everyone contributes to society somehow, right? . And if thats means doing something 'retrospective', then so be it. Its not like they're gonna come out of nowhere and expect us all to go home . People need to chill out and focus on the bigger picture.

I don't think the party should make changes to ILR rules for people who claim benefits... wait, no, that's exactly what they're proposing! I mean, if you've been living here for years and paying taxes, it doesn't seem fair to just take it away from you because you need some help when you have a kid. But at the same time, £38,700 is still a decent income... I guess it's complicated? Maybe they should just leave things as they are? Ugh, my head hurts trying to figure this out!

I'm totally confused about this whole thing . So, the conservative party is trying to clarify their stance on deporting legally settled families in the uk, but it's like, super unclear . They initially said they'd revoke ILR for people who claim benefits or have a low income, which sounds pretty harsh . But now, Kemi Badenoch is saying that's not what she meant at all .

I mean, I get it, policies need to be coherent and adaptable, but this just feels like they're trying to backtrack on their own party members . And the thing is, thousands of people have already made a life in the uk without even thinking about immigration policy . It's not like they're all just going to "go home" overnight .

It's also got me wondering how changes to ILR rules would affect benefits like maternity pay . That's a whole other can of worms . I hope Keir Starmer is right and the conservatives are trying to sink low with this immigration policy .

I don't get why people are so upset about this ILR thingy. It just means that if you're on benefits or making less than 38k a year, you might lose your special status to stay here. Like, what's wrong with that? You gotta earn it or something. And yeah, I guess deporting families is kinda harsh but at least they made a life for themselves in the UK. It's not like they're just gonna magic up a new country to go back to.

I'm kinda worried about this immigration policy thingy. It seems like it's all pretty confusing . Like, what even is 'coherent' in this context? Is it just code for 'we don't want people who are not super patriotic to stay'? And how come they're making these changes retrospectively? That doesn't sound right at all .

And can we talk about the £38,700 income threshold thingy? Who determines that number and what's the logic behind it? It seems like a pretty arbitrary figure . Not to mention how this will affect people who are already living in the UK and have families here .

I also don't get why they're focusing on benefits and maternity pay . Can't we just think about the actual impact of these changes on people's lives?

so i'm tryin to understand what's goin on here... seems like the conservatives are tryin to clarify their stance on immigration policy but it's all a bit confusing . one minute lam says we're gonna kick out families with ILR, next minute badenoch says no way . and now they're sayin that only if you commit a crime will your ILR get taken away? got to wonder what's really goin on behind the scenes and how this is all gonna affect people who've made lives in the uk

Ugh just read about this immigration policy stuff and I'm already worried. Apparently, there's a draft bill that's supposed to strip ILR from people who claim benefits or have an income below £38,700. Like, what even is that? It sounds like a bunch of nonsense . And the fact that Kemi Badenoch is trying to clarify things after Katie Lam made some bad comments just makes me more anxious. I mean, I get it, we all need to be careful with our words, but come on, this is serious stuff . Now we're left wondering if these proposed changes will actually go ahead and how they'll affect people living in the UK. Not good news .

I'm seeing so much division on this issue its like people are trying to live separate lives within one country... thousands of families have made homes here they've got kids, jobs, communities they're not just statistics or policy points anymore their lives deserve more consideration than just a party's stance on immigration what does coherent mean anyway? is it about being culturally homogenous or about creating a society that's inclusive and adaptable? I think its time we had a national conversation about what that means for our country

so its crazy that people are actually still debating what immigrants can and cant do after being here for years like whats wrong with giving ppl a chance 2 build a life ? badenochs stance is pretty vague i think she needs to come clean w/ more specifics on how her policies will affect ppl who already have homes

I'm kinda mixed about this whole thing . On one hand, I get why people are upset - thousands of families have built lives here, paid taxes, and contributed to society, only to be told their ILR might be revoked if they claim benefits or make a certain amount. That's not exactly fair, especially considering maternity pay is already pretty stingy .

On the other hand, I'm glad Kemi Badenoch clarified that there won't be retroactive deportations, at least. It's better than making people live in limbo, wondering if they'll get the boot next week. But, on the flip side, it feels like a half-measure - we're still not really addressing the root issues here. What about all the complexities around benefits, income, and family dynamics? We can't just sweep those under the rug.

The thing that gets me is how both sides are talking about "coherence" and "adaptations"... what does that even mean in practice? Are we just gonna keep shifting goals until someone gets hurt or frustrated? It feels like a never-ending puzzle, with no clear solution .

so like, i dont get why ther r still debates about this stuff they just wanna make sure ppl are contributing to society, but then its all about who gets to stay and what about those who came here as kids or didnt even want to leave in the first place? like, whats wrong with being a citizen and having rights? it feels like its all about control now instead of just being a human bein'