Kemi Badenoch, leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party and a prominent opposition figure, has stirred public debate following her controversial remarks on immigration and cultural integration. Speaking during an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on Sunday, Badenoch declared that immigrants from countries whose cultural values do not align with British ideals “should not be welcome.”
Badenoch, who was born to Nigerian Yoruba parents and spent part of her upbringing in Nigeria, warned that unchecked immigration could erode the UK’s foundational principles.
“Culture matters more,” she stated. “There is something people from around the world come [to the UK] to get—enlightenment values, equality under the law, freedom of speech and association, women’s rights, the rule of law. That’s what makes us a successful country. But if you have a large number of people who don’t believe in those things, your country will change.”
She further asserted that “not all cultures are equal”, citing societies that practice child marriage, criminalize homosexuality, or suppress women’s rights as examples of incompatible value systems.
“Some may not like to hear that, but those are not equal cultures. Cultures where women are not treated as equal citizens are not equal, and large-scale immigration from such backgrounds will change things,” Badenoch said.
Her remarks have drawn attention not only for their tone but also for the fact that many of the cultural issues she criticized are prevalent in Nigeria, her country of origin.
Badenoch also accused some immigrants of abusing the UK’s liberal asylum system. “We have people pretending to be homosexual to claim asylum, then going on to get married and have children,” she alleged. “Others go through false religious conversions just to claim they’d face persecution if deported. This is exploitation of a system that wasn’t designed for this.”
She added that under her leadership, immigration would be strictly merit-based: “We’re not going to allow people to come here and build a mini-Nigeria. Only net contributors—people who won’t depend on welfare or social housing—will be welcome.”
The comments have ignited backlash among immigrant communities and human rights advocates, with many calling her views divisive and inflammatory. Nonetheless, her stance appears to be aimed at appealing to voters concerned about immigration and national identity ahead of the next general election.