Archbishop of Canterbury: UK immigration bill is morally wrong

LONDON — The head of the Church of England on Wednesday condemned a British government bill that would drastically reduce the ability of migrants to seek asylum in the UK, calling the policy “isolationist, morally unacceptable and politically impractical”.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, made a rare appearance in Parliament to oppose the legislation. He told the House of Lords, the unelected upper house of Parliament, that the government’s proposal was a “short-term fix” that risked doing great damage to the UK’s reputation.

The legislation bans asylum claims from anyone arriving in the UK by unauthorized means and requires officials to detain and then deport refugees and migrants “to their country of origin or to a safe third country,” such as Rwanda. Once deported, they would be barred from re-entering the UK.

Britain’s Conservative government says the move would deter tens of thousands of people from trying to cross the English Channel on small boats each year in the hope of reaching the UK. But critics, including the United Nations refugee agency, have described the legislation as unethical and unfeasible. , and some allege that it would violate international law.

The bill passed the House of Commons last month. It was at a second reading on Wednesday in the House of Lords, where he faces strong opposition. The Lords can change legislation but not block it.

Welby, who is also the spiritual leader of Anglican churches worldwide and presided over the coronation of King Charles III, said international protections for refugees were “not inconvenient obstructions to circumvent by any necessary legislative means.”

He added that it was wrong for the UK to hand over the responsibility of accommodating refugees to other, often much poorer countries.

“Of course we can’t take everyone away and neither should we, but this bill doesn’t make any sense of the long-term, global nature of the challenge facing the world,” Welby said. “This nation must lead internationally, not stand apart.”

The British government has urged the House of Lords to back the bill, which it says “is designed to meet the will of the British people.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to “stop the boats” carrying asylum seekers across the Channel, making it one of the key highlights of his time in office.

More than 45,000 people, including from countries like Afghanistan, Iran and Syriait came to Britain in small boats last year, up from 8,500 in 2020.

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