Conservative Leadership Candidates: An Immigration Pledge

18 June 2019

British citizenship is of vital importance to debates around the future of our immigration system, local integration, and our national identity. The decisions our next Prime Minister makes around citizenship will shape the kind of country we want to be.

We should be proud that people seek to become British citizens. Those who have played by the rules, who meet the criteria and wish to apply, should be able to do so with a minimum of fuss and inconvenience. At a very minimum this means the next Prime Minister should offer a route to citizenship for EU citizens after Brexit, reform how decisions are made at the Home Office, and look at options to reduce the high visa fees facing some people in the UK.

This is a chance for the UK to be clear about the values that guide us to celebrate the contribution that new Brits make to our national story.

Steve Double MP (Conservative, St Austell and Newquay)
Tim Farron MP (Liberal Democrat, Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Right Rev Paul Butler (Lord Bishop of Durham)

Jill Rutter (British Future)

Ryan Shorthouse (Bright Blue)
James Kirkup (Social Market Foundation)
Mark Littlewood (Institute of Economic Affairs)
David Goodhart (Policy Exchange)
Roland Smith (Fellow of the Adam Smith Institute)