The Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday (WED) heavily criticised the Government’s controversial laws to stop small boat Channel crossings as “morally unacceptable”.
Speaking in the House of Lords, the Most Rev Dr Justin Welby said the UK needed a bill to “stop the boats” and “destroy the evil tribe of traffickers”, but added that “without much change, this is not that bill”.
He told peers: “This Bill fails utterly to take a long-term and strategic view of the challenges of migration and undermines international co-operation rather than taking an opportunity for the UK to show leadership as we did in 1951. There are too many problems for one speech in this Bill.”
Dr Welby added: “It is isolationist, it is morally unacceptable and politically impractical to let the poorest countries deal with it alone and cut our international aid.”
But he sparked a backlash from Tory MPs and peers, who told him neither “handwringing or bell ringing” will solve the problem of small boats crossings and that he was a “liberal” who was “misapplying the definition of Christian compassion”.
Dr Welby spoke during the first appearance in the House of Lords of the Illegal Migration Bill, which will place a duty on the Home Secretary to detain and deport all asylum seekers who arrive in the UK after crossing the Channel in small boats..
He also criticised the Government for trying to circumvent legal challenges, claiming that global conventions on refugees “are not inconvenient obstructions to get around by any legislative means necessary”.
The Archbishop warned the bill was a “short-term fix” that risked “great damage to the UK’s interests and reputation at home and abroad, let alone the interests of those in need of protection”.
It is the first time that the head of the Church of England has given his views on the current legislation. i revealed on Tuesday that he would make such an intervention.
The Bishop of Durham, Rt Rev Paul Butler, also raised concerns that the Bill could harm children by making them subject to detention and deportation.
“I am reminded of Jesus’ words: It would be better to have a millstone around the neck and be cast into the sea than to cause a little one to stumble,” he said.
“This responsibility needs to bear upon us heavily.”
Tories however rallied in support of the Bill.
Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said Dr Welby was “wrong” in his criticism.
He told BBC’s World At One: “Firstly there’s nothing moral about allowing the pernicious trade of people smugglers to continue… I disagree with him respectfully. By bringing forward this proposal we make it clear that if you come across illegally on a small boat you will not find a route to life in the UK.”
He added: “That will have a serious deterrent effect.”
House Of Cards author Lord Dobbs stressed the need to tackle the people smugglers.
The Tory peer and former adviser to the Thatcher government said: “They trade in lies, they trade lives.
“It is our moral obligation to stop them, to bring an end to the unimaginable pain of mothers and fathers watching their children drowning off our shores in the Channel.
“No amount of handwringing or bell ringing is going to do that.”
Tory MP Miriam Cates said: “I am not a theologian, but as an MP who is also a Christian and a supporter of the plans I am uncomfortable with the Archbishop’s language.
“The implied conclusion is that a completely open border policy would be the most moral policy for the Government, but I disagree.
“The truth is that liberals, both inside and outside the Church, often misapply the definition of Christian compassion.”
This story has been updated.
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