Kemi Badenoch has sparked criticism from refugee campaigners after appearing to suggest the creation of migrant “camps” as an alternative to using hotels to house asylum seekers.
The Conservative Party leader, speaking to residents in Epping, Essex, said the government must be prepared to act decisively on the issue.
“We’ve got to turn things around very quickly. We cannot use rules from 1995, or 2005, or even 2015 for 2025. Our world is changing very quickly, and we need to adapt to it.”
Kemi Badenoch
Badenoch, who is seeking to convince voters that her party can be trusted to handle migration amid a growing challenge from Reform UK, added: “Is it possible for us to set up camps and police that, rather than bringing all of this hassle into communities?”
“As a party, we need to also hear from the community about what you think the solutions are. We don’t have all the answers; it’s important that we make sure that the community is part of the problem solved.”
Kemi Badenoch
Campaigners Warn Of ‘Race To The Bottom’
Her comments prompted a sharp rebuke from Refugee Action’s chief executive Tim Naor Hilton, who said: “It’s deeply troubling that our political leaders appear to be in a race to the bottom for who can treat people seeking asylum the most cruelly.”
Hilton warned that such rhetoric was fuelling division. “It is creating an incendiary atmosphere in our communities that is emboldening dangerous far-right groups and leading to racist attacks on people seeking asylum,” he said.
“Hostile policies and rhetoric must stop now. People must be treated with dignity and housed properly in our communities so they can rebuild their lives in peace.”
Tim Naor Hilton
The remarks come against the backdrop of rising tensions over asylum seekers accommodated in hotels. Protests have taken place across the UK in recent days, with campaigners and local authorities clashing over government policy.
In parallel with Badenoch’s comments, ministers have been intensifying efforts to reduce migration, citing public frustration over the issue. On Friday, the government confirmed that its new “one in, one out” returns deal with France was operational.
The Home Office has also widened the scope of its “deport now, appeal later” policy, which enables the removal of foreign criminals before their appeals are heard. The expansion covers offenders from an additional 15 countries — including India, Bulgaria, and Australia — bringing the total to 23 nations.
Badenoch, however, suggested the measures were long overdue. Speaking to broadcasters, she said the latest steps were “the sort of stuff that they should have been doing on day one.”
She criticised opposition leader Keir Starmer’s past stance on deportations, saying: “When we were deporting criminals, Keir Starmer was writing letters trying to stop our deportations, so I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Badenoch reiterated her scepticism, adding: “The fact that they tried to stop deportations before means that I don’t really believe it.”
“The government has released 26,000 prisoners since they came to power, released them early, there are now more criminals on our streets, that’s what I’m really worried about.”
Kemi Badenoch
Under the “deport now, appeal later” approach, individuals whose human rights claims against removal have been rejected can be deported, with any appeals conducted via video link from outside the UK.
The government argues the scheme will speed up removals and reduce costs, while critics warn it risks undermining access to justice. With migration and crime policy now central to the political debate, Badenoch’s comments signal a sharpening of rhetoric ahead of the next election.
READ ALSO: Don’t Rush Back to Capital Markets Despite Debt Wins- Deloitte Warns Ghana
