Kemi Badenoch has called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to revoke UK citizenship from "jihadi terrorists and Assad supporters" seeking to return from Syria. The Conservative Party leader

used Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) to raise concerns about potential increases in small boat arrivals following the collapse of Bashar Assad's regime.

Badenoch criticized Sir Keir's record on immigration, accusing him of siding with criminals and opposing measures to control migration. She urged him to back a migration cap and apologize for signing a 2020 letter that opposed a deportation flight.

Accusations and counterarguments

During PMQs, Badenoch alleged that Sir Keir had "consistently backed criminals," pointing out an instance where a deportation was halted, allowing the individual to remain in the UK and later commit murder. Addressing the Commons, she said:
"He was able to stay here and murder because people like this man campaigned against deporting criminals."

In response, Sir Keir defended his record, highlighting his five years as director of public prosecutions (DPP), during which he prosecuted "hundreds of thousands of criminals, including terrorist gangs." He accused Badenoch of supporting the Conservative Party’s "one-nation experiment in open borders" and criticized the government's record on migration, which saw net migration rise to nearly one million.

Syrian asylum decisions paused

The exchange occurred amid the UK’s decision to pause asylum applications from Syrians after Assad's regime fell. Millions of Syrians fled during the country's civil war, marked by the Assad regime’s violent suppression of dissent.

Badenoch emphasized the potential implications for the UK, urging Sir Keir to act decisively:
“Events in Syria mean we may see more small boat arrivals. For once, will he take the side of the British people and strip citizenship from jihadi terrorists and supporters of Assad who want to come back and destroy this country?”

Shamima begum case highlighted

Badenoch also criticized Sir Keir for opposing the decision to strip Shamima Begum of her UK citizenship. Begum, who left for Islamic State-controlled Syria in 2015 at the age of 15, has been living in a Syrian refugee camp since losing her citizenship.

Sir Keir's rebuttal

Sir Keir reiterated his contributions to law enforcement during his tenure as DPP, working closely with then-Home Secretary Theresa May.
“For her to stand there and say, ‘I haven’t done anything in law enforcement,’ I dedicated five years of my life to locking up criminals, which is more than she can say,” he stated.

Labour clarified that Sir Keir had been consulted in a legal dispute involving Hizb ut-Tahrir but did not formally represent the group.

A clash of migration policies

Sir Keir opened PMQs by welcoming the fall of Assad's regime while stressing the importance of a political solution that protects civilians and minorities. However, the debate quickly shifted to migration, with Badenoch questioning why reducing immigration was "not a priority" for the government.

In response, Sir Keir criticized the Conservatives for record-high net migration figures, attributing it to their "open borders" policies:
“A one-nation experiment in open borders under the last government, and she was the champion. She stood up and praised the then-Tory home secretary for removing caps on migration visas.”

The heated debate underscored the stark contrast in their approaches to migration and national security, with both leaders using the session to bolster their positions ahead of anticipated policy changes and public scrutiny. Photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street, Wikimedia commons.