Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride has defended the Conservative Party’s controversial proposal to restrict welfare benefits to UK citizens only, saying that overseas nationals affected by the move would “have the option to return to their home countries.”
Speaking ahead of his address at the Conservative Party Conference, Stride outlined a sweeping fiscal plan aimed at saving £47 billion annually. The proposal allocates £23 billion in cuts from welfare programs, £8 billion from civil service reductions, and £7 billion through slashing overseas aid to just 0.1% of GDP — down from the current 0.3%.
Welfare restrictions and citizenship requirement
Stride said the plan would ensure that the UK’s social safety net serves British citizens first. “UK citizenship should mean something,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “Most people in the country feel that the benefits system should be there for UK citizens.”
Under the Conservative plan, long-term sickness benefits for people with “lower-level mental health issues” would be reviewed, with a focus on encouraging more individuals back into work. The proposal also limits access to benefits strictly to citizens, excluding even long-term residents with indefinite leave to remain.
However, it is understood that EU nationals with settled status would be exempt due to existing post-Brexit agreements.
Civil service and overseas aid cuts
Beyond welfare, the Conservatives intend to reduce the size of the civil service — which Stride noted has expanded by over 35% since 2016 — cutting around 130,000 jobs to save £8 billion annually. Another £7 billion would come from reducing overseas aid, while further savings are expected from eliminating what the party calls “ineffective green subsidies.”
Fiscal responsibility at the heart of Tory message
Stride framed the plan as essential for restoring fiscal discipline. “We have a welfare budget spiralling out of control,” he said. “The country is living beyond its means, and the Conservative Party is the only one prepared to take fiscal responsibility seriously.”
The Labour government under Keir Starmer has already reduced the aid budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP, but Stride’s proposals signal a deeper austerity agenda designed to appeal to right-wing voters concerned about immigration and public spending.
