Kemi Badenoch warns of ‘little ghettos’ in Britain if migrants don’t embrace culture
Kemi Badenoch yesterday warned that Britain would become a nation of “little ghettos” if migrants failed to embrace the culture, reports BritPanorama.
Opening her party’s conference in Birmingham, the Tory leader demanded a fightback against what she described as “separatist communities”, where immigrants avoid engaging with UK traditions. She stated, “I don’t want lots of little ghettos of separatist communities where they are recreating the place that they came from. That will ruin the United Kingdom.”
Mrs. Badenoch initiated the conference with a pledge to rebuild Britain similarly to the approach taken by Margaret Thatcher in 1979. She presented an 80-page blueprint titled The Right Way, outlining principles she aims to implement in government.
During a Q&A session on stage, she expressed concern that citizenship is often perceived merely as holding a passport. “This is our home. It is not a dormitory. It is not a hotel,” she said. “Even if people come here just to work, they need to respect our culture. They need to respect our values.”
She further emphasized Britain’s tradition as a high-trust society, where citizens accept responsibilities towards others and expect mutual respect for societal rules. However, she cautioned that these bonds begin to fray when individuals perceive that others exploit the system or fail to integrate.
Mrs. Badenoch argued for a cohesive national identity, stressing, “the people coming into our country need to join the country and they need to sign up to that deal.” She also clarified that her call for a shared culture does not pertain to race, as Britain has not historically had race-based citizenship.
Moreover, she asserted that the responsibility of protecting cultural integration should not rest solely with the government. “It isn’t just the Government’s job… What we actually need is individuals taking it upon themselves to guard the thing we know is sacred,” she remarked.
The leader highlighted the achievements of Katharine Birbalsingh, head of Michaela Community School in Wembley Park, for successfully defending a ban on prayer rituals despite legal challenges. “That is what we need to see — not just teachers, but doctors, everyone in society,” she stated, urging community involvement over reliance on government intervention.
Her statements align with a broader Conservative effort to reassure voters that the party is learning from its past mistakes following a significant defeat in the 2024 elections. Although she rejected claims that calls to cut benefits and expand prison capacity signify a regression to the “nasty party” moniker, she reinforced the notion that the Conservatives are adapting. “It’s the commonsense party. That’s what we’re doing,” she noted during an interview with the BBC.
As the Conservatives currently trail behind Labour and Reform in polling, Mrs. Badenoch’s personal ratings have improved over the past year. A recent mega-poll indicated the Tories could see a slight increase in representation, with projections of 130 seats, up from 118.
Her remarks on the potential for “ghettos” emerged amid reports of migrants settling in high-cost areas, such as the £1,000-a-night Connaught hotel in Mayfair, London. A worker remarked on the incongruity of migrants using such an exclusive location while others sleep in doorways, stating, “It seems unreal.”
While the party navigates these challenges, it remains essential for leaders and individuals alike to engage in meaningful dialogue about integration and shared cultural values in Britain.
