Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has warned that high levels of immigration are damaging social cohesion in the UK and called for stronger efforts to promote integration.
Speaking to the BBC, Badenoch said the government must “not look away from problems out of fear of being labelled racists,” adding that the country had “taken for granted the fact that we have been a fairly cohesive society” but that “things are fragmenting.”
She argued that immigration had reached unsustainable levels, making it difficult for newcomers to integrate effectively.
“If people come in too quickly, it’s impossible to integrate,” Badenoch said.
Badenoch also defended remarks made by Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, who recently described Handsworth in Birmingham as “one of the worst-integrated places” he had ever visited. In a recording published by The Guardian, Jenrick said he had “not seen another white face” during a 90-minute visit to the area, though he stressed his comments were “not about the colour of your skin or your faith,” but about “people living parallel lives.”
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Asked about the remarks, Jenrick told the BBC that a lack of integration could have grave consequences, referencing last week’s terrorist attack in Manchester.
“A man who lived in our country for 30 years clearly wasn’t well integrated, clearly didn’t share British values, because he went on to murder British Jews,” he said.
Badenoch defended Jenrick’s comments, saying they were made during Birmingham’s bin strike when “rubbish piled up in the streets,” arguing that politicians had “their eyes focused elsewhere.”
“We need people to have their eyes focused on what is going on in this country,” she said.
The Conservative leader admitted her party had “got immigration wrong” in government and outlined tougher new policies, including leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and deporting 750,000 illegal immigrants over five years.
She also stressed the importance of reinforcing British values and not shying away from difficult conversations about integration.
“Not being tolerant of intolerance, not looking away because we are afraid of being labelled racists,” she said, citing the grooming gang scandals as an example where authorities “were too scared to intervene.”
Badenoch’s comments came as Reform UK announced the defection of 20 Conservative councillors, increasing pressure on the Conservatives amid a string of poor polling results. However, she dismissed the defections as “a stunt.”
“Some people just want to go with whoever is winning,” she said. “If they are not tough enough to deal with difficulties in opposition, they are not going to be tough enough to deal with difficulties in government.”
Despite speculation about a potential pact between the Conservatives and Reform UK, Badenoch ruled out any alliance.
“How could you explain going into a pact with a party that wants to increase welfare?” she said.
The comments come as the Conservative Party conference continues this week, with immigration and national identity emerging as key themes in the party’s attempt to reclaim ground from Reform UK.
