Priti Patel has “misunderstood” the role of the church, says bishop after dispute over deal with migrants in Rwanda

The local bishop of Priti Patel accused her of misunderstanding the role of the church in the ongoing dispute over the deal with migrants in Rwanda.

Guli Francis-Dekani, Bishop of Chelmsford and a former asylum seeker, wrote to the Home Secretary on Monday to express his full support for the Archbishop of Canterbury, who described Rwanda’s proposal as ungodly and urged it to reconsider its position.

This came after Mrs. Patel made a subtle attack on the Rev. Justin Welby.

In a joint article with Vincent Biruta, Rwanda’s foreign minister, published in The Times, the interior minister addressed critics of the scheme, saying they had failed to offer an alternative solution to the migrant crisis.

She defended the controversial proposal as a “bold and innovative” way to combat the “deadly trade” of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats.

Reverend Francis-Dekani, who was born in Iran, said her own life experience as an asylum seeker made her “extremely worried” about the scheme and its consequences. She said she treated the most vulnerable in a “cruel and inhumane” way.