• Source:PTI
Add as a preferred

The race to succeed Rishi Sunak as the leader of the UK Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition has centred on immigration, with candidates spotlighting visa policies, particularly concerning India. Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick and shadow housing secretary Kemi Badenoch, the two leading contenders, have both called for tougher restrictions on Indian visas.

Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on Sunday, Robert Jenrick argued that unless India accepts the return of nationals who enter the UK illegally, visa restrictions should be tightened. He emphasised the need to enforce these rules across all categories, highlighting that India received 2,50,000 visas last year, yet an estimated 1,00,000 Indian nationals reside illegally in the UK. 

Jenrick criticised the lack of deportations to India despite an existing India-UK Migration and Mobility Partnership designed to facilitate the return of illegal migrants. "The government must stop other countries exploiting our generosity by imposing severe visa restrictions and restricting foreign aid to countries that do not take back their nationals here illegally,” said Jenrick.

ALSO READ: Israeli Airstrikes Target Power Plants, Oil Facilities And Seaport In Yemen’s Hodeidah | VIDEO

Kemi Badenoch, Jenrick’s closest rival in the leadership contest, has similarly targeted immigration. In an interview with the BBC, she condemned new migrants for importing disputes from their home countries, particularly referencing incidents in Leicester following the 2022 India-Pakistan cricket match. 

Badenoch stressed that people immigrating to the UK should leave their cultural conflicts behind, asserting that such disputes have no place in Britain. "I saw as equalities minister people bringing cultural disputes from India to the streets of Leicester… we need to make sure that when people come to this country, they leave their previous differences behind,” she said, describing her position as non-controversial and essential for social harmony.

ALSO READ: Eight Soldiers Dead In Colombia Military Helicopter Crash

Jenrick and Badenoch are among the four candidates vying for the Conservative leadership, alongside former Cabinet ministers James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat. The party conference will see the final contenders determined, with the Conservative membership casting their votes online. The winner will be announced on November 2.

The leadership election follows Rishi Sunak’s resignation after the Conservative Party’s defeat in the July general election. Sunak, of British-Indian descent, continues to serve as interim leader until his successor is chosen.

(With Agency Inputs)