Kemi Badenoch, leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, has said immigrants from countries whose cultural values do not align with British ideals should not be welcomed into the country.
Badenoch made the remarks during an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on Sunday, where she discussed her concerns about mass immigration and the potential erosion of British culture.
“Culture matters more,” she stated, stressing the importance of shared values in maintaining the UK’s social fabric.
“There is something that people from around the world are coming to the UK to get,” she explained. “It is that system, enlightenment values, equality under the law, freedom of speech, freedom of association, women having equal rights, the rule of law. That is what has made us a successful country.”
The UK-born politician, who is of Nigerian Yoruba descent and spent part of her childhood in Nigeria, argued that an influx of people who do not believe in these core principles could gradually alter the character of the nation.
“If you have a large number of people who don’t believe in those things, eventually your country will change,” Badenoch warned.
