The spotlight on Indian visas is intensifying as the race for the Conservative Party leadership heats up. Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick singled out India for tough visa restrictions. He emphasized that India should face these restrictions unless it repatriates nationals entering the UK illegally.
During the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, Jenrick highlighted that India benefitted from 250,000 visas in the past year, while an estimated 100,000 Indian nationals are believed to be residing illegally in the UK.
Kemi Badenoch, the shadow housing secretary, echoed these sentiments, condemning new migrants for allegedly bringing cultural disputes from India that lead to unrest. “Many people who have recently come to this country have brought views from their countries of origin that have no place here,” she stated on BBC.
Throughout the four-day Tory conference, Jenrick and Badenoch will be competing against two other party colleagues for leadership. The final candidates will be announced after voting concludes on November 2.
The election comes after Rishi Sunak’s resignation as Tory leader following a significant general election defeat in July. Until a new leader is elected, Sunak continues to serve as interim leader, holding his seat as a British Indian MP from Richmond and Northallerton.
