In a move that has sent shockwaves through Britain’s political landscape, the Leader of the UK Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has unveiled what she termed a “Radical Borders Plan,” setting an ambitious target to deport 150,000 illegal migrants every year.
Badenoch, who announced the initiative via a video message on her official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, described the policy as Britain’s “toughest border reform in history.”
Under the proposed plan, a new Removals Force — modelled after the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency — would be established to enforce deportations and clamp down on illegal migration.
“My message is simple: if you are in the UK illegally, you will be detained and deported,” Badenoch declared firmly, signalling a no-nonsense approach to border control.
She did not spare past administrations, accusing both Labour and Conservative governments of failing to protect Britain’s borders. According to her, years of policy complacency have allowed illegal crossings and mismanaged asylum processes to spiral out of control.
“Labour promised to smash the gangs,” she said. “Instead, they delivered record small boat crossings, over 50,000 illegal arrivals, 32,000 people in asylum hotels, and billions of pounds wasted. It’s pure weakness.”
Badenoch’s blueprint represents a sharp departure from existing migration policies. It seeks to impose a blanket ban on asylum claims from illegal entrants, withdraw Britain from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and repeal the Human Rights Act — all measures aimed at tightening the legal framework around deportations.
The plan also stipulates that illegal entrants be deported within seven days of detention, while visa sanctions would be imposed on nations unwilling to accept their nationals back.
According to the opposition leader, the initiative would dismantle the costly “asylum hotel industry,” restore public confidence in the immigration system, and save the exchequer billions of pounds.
“Only the Conservatives have the courage and clarity to fix this,” Badenoch maintained. “If you come here illegally, you will be deported.”
Her announcement comes amid growing disquiet over the surge in small boat crossings across the English Channel and rising public frustration with the government’s handling of border control.
