A Tory veteran MP has accused the Archbishop of Canterbury of “exacerbating political divisions” for suggesting that the government’s asylum policy in Rwanda will not withstand God’s control.
In an attempt to defend controversial proposals unveiled by Boris Johnson and Priti Patel last week, Cabinet Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg also claimed that Justin Welby had misunderstood the policy.
Delivering his Easter sermon, the head of the Church of England criticized the plan to send some asylum seekers on a one-way ticket more than 4,000 miles to the East African country.
In a scathing intervention, Archbishop Welby accused the government of “subcontracting” its responsibilities, adding that there were “serious ethical issues regarding the sending of asylum seekers abroad.”
Speaking at Canterbury Cathedral, Mr Welby said the measures “cannot bear the brunt of our national responsibility as a country shaped by Christian values”.
He added: “The details are for politics. The principle must withstand God’s judgment and cannot.
“She cannot bear the burden of the resurrection, of the life that overcomes death. It cannot bear the weight of the resurrection, which was first and foremost appreciated, because it gives privileges to the rich and powerful. ”
Later, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said in his Easter sermon: “We can do better than that. We can do better than this thanks to what we see in Jesus Christ, the risen Christ, with a vision of our humanity where barriers are broken, not new obstacles placed in the way.
He said he found it “so depressing and disturbing this week to find that asylum seekers fleeing war, famine and oppression from deep, deeply troubled parts of the world will not be treated with the dignity and compassion that is entitled to every human being, and instead of being treated quickly and effectively here on our land, will be sent to Rwanda. ”
The proposals were also condemned by charities, while a former Conservative cabinet minister said it was “immoral”, “impractical” and likely to involve “astronomical” spending beyond the original £ 120m deal signed between the UK and Rwanda governments. .
But John Redwood, a Conservative MP from Wokingham, asked on social media: “So, what is the archbishop’s proposal on how to stop the lucrative and illegal trade in human traffickers?” Why does he want to live with breaking the law and dangerous travel?
“I thought the Easter message was that love conquers everything,” he added. “We must forgive and reconcile. Can the archbishop do this instead of exacerbating political divisions?
The Minister for Brexit Opportunities, Mr Rees-Mog, told BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend: “I think he [Mr Welby] he does not understand what politics is trying to achieve and that this is not a abandonment of responsibility, but in fact a very difficult responsibility.
“The problem we are dealing with is that people are risking their lives at the hands of human traffickers to enter this country illegally. It is not the illegal part of this now, and the promotion of human traffickers must be stopped. “
Another Conservative MP, Andrew Bridgen, also told Sky News that the comments from the head of the Anglican Church were “really a little naive.”
“I don’t think he keeps up with his flock, I don’t think he keeps up with the country’s views,” he said. “But, of course, he has every right in a free and open democracy to maintain whatever views he has.”
Wes Street, Labor chairman, said: “It is not really for politicians to tell the head of our church what he or she should or should not say in his Easter sermon. Conservative MPs should think about that instead. “
A spokesman for the Home Office said: “The UK has a proud history of supporting those in need of protection and our resettlement programs have provided safe and legal avenues for a better future for hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
“However, the world is facing an unprecedented global migration crisis and change is needed to prevent vicious smugglers of people who put people’s lives at risk and to repair the shattered global asylum system.
“Rwanda is a fundamentally safe and secure country with experience in supporting asylum seekers. Under this agreement, they will process claims in accordance with the UN Refugee Convention, national and international human rights law. “
In his Easter sermon, Mr Welby also said that families across the country were “waking up from fear” due to the pressure of the cost of living crisis, rising energy bills, tax increases and record inflation.
“Families across the country are waking up with cold homes and empty stomachs as we face the biggest cost of living crisis we’ve known in our lives,” he said. “And that’s why they wake up with fear.”
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine for seven weeks, the Archbishop of Canterbury added: “Ukrainians have woken up to the end of the world as they know it. Now they are awakened by the sounds of war and the disgusting reality of terror.
“They are waking up from mortal fear. Let this be a time for a Russian ceasefire, withdrawal and a commitment to negotiations. “
In his own Easter message, the Prime Minister paid tribute to “Christians in Ukraine, whether celebrating Easter today or its orthodox equivalent later this month, for whom Christ’s message of hope, triumph of life over death and good over evil will resonate. year, maybe more than any other.
Speaking in Ukrainian and mentioning a psalm, he said, “Be strong and have courage in your hearts, you all who trust in the Lord.”
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