The Archbishop of Canterbury has launched a withering attack on the Government’s plans to tackle the small boats crisis, as they faced their first test in the House of Lords on Wednesday.
The Most Rev Justin Welby argued the Illegal Migration Bill risked “great damage” to the UK’s reputation at home and abroad and said it was “morally unacceptable” to leave the poorest countries to deal with the migration crisis.
The top cleric urged a rethink of the flagship legislation aimed at ensuring people who arrive in the UK in small boats would be detained and promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda.
Nearly 90 peers were set to speak on Suella Braverman’s bill, with dozens of Labour, Liberal Democrat and crossbench peers against the plans.
The clampdown has been prompted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledge to “stop the boats” bringing migrants across the English Channel.
It came after Keir Starmer attacked Rishi Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions over the Conservatives’ loss of more than 1,000 councillors in last week’s local elections.
