Kemi Badenoch says Britain must not be ‘a sponge for migrants’

Badenoch takes hard line stance on migration to try to get leadership challenge back on track

Kemi Badenoch (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

Kemi Badenoch has made it clear she wants to clamp down on migration to the UK, claiming that many use Britain as “a sponge”.

The former favourite for the Tory leadership contest has seen her challenge drop off in recent days, with ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick appearing to be in the driving seat during the Tory conference in Birmingham.

Ms Badenoch used an interview on the Today program to take a tough stance on migration.

She said: “We need to make sure that when people are coming to this country they are people who are coming to contribute and who want the success of our country.

“If you want to stay here we live in an age where you need to be very committed. We are not a dormitory, we are not a sponge.

Tory leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch walks with her team through the Birmingham International Conference Centre (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)

“I am somebody who came here at (the age of) 16 and I did so wanting to be here, wanting to be from here - so culture matters.”

Ms Badenoch, who herself grew up in Nigeria, has warned against migrants coming into the UK who she suggested do not share British values during the leadership campaign.

Previously, she wrote about how “not all cultures are equal” and clashed with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg over how some cultures discriminate against the LBGT+ communities and women.

Her latest comments come ahead of a speech today on the final day of the Tory conference when each of the four - also including James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat - address members for 20 minutes each.

A number of apparent gaffes have appeared to hit Ms Badenoch’s campaign this week including having to clarify her comments when she appeared to question maternity pay.

She also was criticised on Tuesday for suggesting that up to 10 per cent of civil servants should go to prison for leaking.