LONDON: The head of the Church of England slammed a British government plan on Wednesday that would significantly restrict migrants’ ability to seek asylum in the UK, calling the policy “isolationist, morally unacceptable, and politically impractical.”
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby spoke out against the legislation in a rare appearance in Parliament. He told Parliament’s unelected upper house, the House of Lords, that the government’s proposal was a “short-term fix” that risked causing major harm to the UK’s reputation.
Anyone who enters the UK illegally is prohibited from claiming asylum, and officials are required to detain and then deport refugees and migrants “to their home country or a safe third country,” such as Rwanda. They would be banned from ever returning to the UK if they were deported.
UK government claims this policy will stop people reaching UK
The Conservative government in the United Kingdom claims that the policy will stop tens of thousands of people from crossing the English Channel in small boats each year with the goal of reaching the United Kingdom.
However, critics, including the UN refugee agency, have called the idea unethical and unrealistic, and others claim it would violate international law.
Last month, the bill was passed by the House of Commons. It was given a second reading in the House of Lords on Wednesday, where it was met with strong dislike. The Lords can amend but not block legislation.
Welby, who performed over King Charles III’s coronation and is also the spiritual head of Anglican churches worldwide, said international protections for refugees were “not inconvenient obstructions to get ’round by any legislative means necessary.”
He went on to say that it was inappropriate for the UK to delegate responsibility for relocating migrants to other countries, sometimes much poorer ones.
Welby said that, of course, we cannot and should not accept everyone, but this law has no understanding of the long-term and global scope of the crisis that the world faces. He stated that this country should lead worldwide rather than stand alone.
The government of the United Kingdom has urged the House of Lords to support the bill, which it claims “is designed to meet the will of the British people.” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has committed to “stop the boats” transporting asylum seekers across the Channel, making it one of his main priorities during his tenure.
More than 45,000 migrants landed in Britain in small boats last year, including those from Afghanistan, Iran, and Syria, up from 8,500 in 2020.
