Britain needs zero tolerance for crimes that make our lives miserable, says Kemi: Tory leader says there must be ‘consequences’ for shoplifting and vandalism

Kemi Badenoch last night vowed to ‘bring the toughness back’ to Britain.

The Tory leader promised a crackdown on welfare, asylum and low-level crime and said voters were “crying out” for a tougher approach that would have “consequences” for those who rip off the system.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, she said a Tory government would prevent anyone from claiming benefits as a ‘lifestyle choice’.

And she called for a ‘no-tolerance approach’ to crimes such as shoplifting, fare evasion, vandalism and public drug use, which were ‘making life miserable for so many people’.

Ms Badenoch promised funding for 10,000 extra police officers to implement a ‘broken windows’ style strategy, which helped clean up New York in the 1990s, to ensure even small acts of anti-social behavior are tackled seriously.

But she urged police to also prioritize crimes that damage the fabric of society, rather than taking easier options such as chasing motorists for minor offences.

“We need to reduce the consequences,” she said.

“People who break the law should feel the full force of the law. Instead, we’re mostly dealing with law-abiding people caught driving 21 miles per hour.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch promises crackdown on welfare, immigration and low-level crime, promising ‘consequences’ for those who game the system

Ms Badenoch revealed she ‘celebrated’ when Robert Jenrick defected to Nigel Farage’s reform

“But if you drive 21 miles an hour, park your car and then go into a store and steal stuff, nothing happens. We have to bring back the toughness.”

Asked if the public is ready for a tougher approach from the state, she said: “People are clamoring for it.

‘We have been – the Conservative Party has been before – very careful because we didn’t want people to think we were being too tough. And I say we were overly cautious.

‘We have to be tough. That is the government’s job.

‘Let charities do the gentle things. The government has to do the hard things. We have to do the enforcement.”

The Tory leader’s comments came in a wide-ranging interview in which she:

• Warned it was ‘already too late’ for Labor to turn its fortunes around even if mutinous MPs oust Keir Starmer in the wake of this week’s election;
• The Conservatives are predicted to improve their performance in last year’s local elections as voters in England, Scotland and Wales go to the polls;
• Said a Tory government would expand the use of live facial recognition to help catch the 24,000 criminals living in the general population;
• Revealed she ‘celebrated’ when Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman defected to reform, saying the Tories were now the most united for a generation;
• Has attacked Reform’s plan to build immigration detention centers in Green voting areas, claiming this is the kind of divisive policy that would ‘split the country’;
• Acknowledged that the traditional parties are still coming to terms with a new ‘multi-party era’, but played down the prospects of a deal with Nigel Farage;
• Promised to scrap funding for ‘terrible degrees’ and provide more support for young people to pursue high-quality apprenticeships.

The Conservatives have already set out plans to cut £23 billion from the welfare budget and Ms Badenoch said she is ‘working to go further’.

She said she was shocked by recent figures showing that the social security bill now costs more every year than Britain raises in income tax.

“It’s like the rider is now heavier than the horse,” she said.

‘It’s just not sustainable. It will bankrupt us, the social security system, if we keep this up.”

She added: ‘We need to remind people that wellbeing is a safety net, not a lifestyle. It’s not for people who say “oh, it’s just a bit too hard to work” – you hear people say that.

‘It’s not for people who say, ‘I don’t want to get up early in the morning’ or ‘I only want to work part-time’ or ‘I only want to work from home’.

‘That’s not what welfare is meant for. Or “I feel anxious” – that’s not what wellness is for. It’s for when I can’t work.

‘If you can work, you should work. So we’re taking away unlimited benefits where someone in a household can work and not work.

‘You have mild conditions such as anxiety or ADHD. These are not things that should stop you from working.

‘Also low level physical conditions – a tennis elbow does not deserve a Motability car.

“These are the things we are going to crack down on.”

Ms Badenoch criticized ‘Chief Deindustrialiser’ Ed Miliband’s plans to become chancellor

Ms Badenoch confirmed that a Conservative government would take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to make it easier to deport those who have no right to be here – and to deter illegal migrants.

She said suppressing false asylum claims was also a key part of her broader strategy to ensure those who try to oust rank-and-file workers face the consequences of their actions.

Ms Badenoch also stepped up her attack on the government’s economic approach, warning that a “toxic combination” of Sir Keir’s EU reset and Ed Miliband’s Net Zero targets risked “rapid deindustrialisation”.

She said an “aggressively anti-business approach” would only get worse if speculation that Mr Miliband could become chancellor were true.

“Now there is the prospect of chief deindustrialiser Ed Miliband entering Number 11, as well as even higher energy bills thanks to Starmer’s ‘worst of both worlds’ approach to Brussels,” she added.

‘This is a toxic combination for British industry.’