London: On Wednesday, the head of the Church of England denounced a British government bill that would drastically reduce the number of migrants who could apply for asylum in the country, calling the move "isolationist, morally unacceptable, and politically impractical."
Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, made a rare appearance in Parliament to voice his opposition to the proposal. He argued before the House of Lords, the upper house of Parliament that is not directly elected, that the government's proposal was only a "short-term fix" and could seriously harm the UK's standing.
The law prevents anyone who enters the UK illegally from requesting asylum. It also requires officials to detain and deport refugees and migrants "to their home country or a safe third country," such as Rwanda. They wouldn't be permitted to enter the UK ever again after being deported.
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Tens of thousands of people attempt to cross the English Channel in small boats each year in hopes of arriving in the UK, according to the British Conservative government, but the measure would deter them. However, detractors of the legislation, including the UN agency for refugees, have called it unethical and impractical, and some have claimed that it would break international law.
The House of Commons approved the bill last month. It was on a second reading in the House of Lords on Wednesday and is being met with fierce opposition. The Lords can change the law but they cannot stop it.
Welby, who presided over King Charles III's coronation and serves as the spiritual leader of Anglican churches worldwide, claimed that legislative efforts to circumvent international protections for refugees would be inconvenient.
He continued by saying it was wrong for the UK to let other, frequently much poorer countries handle the task of housing refugees.
Of course, we can't accept everyone, and we shouldn't either, but this bill has absolutely no understanding of the long-term or the global scale of the challenge that the world is facing, according to Welby. "This country shouldn't isolate itself; it should lead the world."
The British government has pleaded with the House of Lords to support the legislation, claiming that it "is designed to meet the will of the British people." One of the main goals of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's term in office has been to "stop the boats" that are bringing asylum seekers across the English Channel.
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Over 45,000 individuals, up from 8,500 in 2020 and coming from nations like Afghanistan, Iran, and Syria among others, entered Britain in small boats last year.
