The Archbishops of York and Canterbury have renewed calls for the Government to change its Illegal Migration Bill to ensure "just" and "compassionate" asylum policy.
UK faith leaders have written to the Government in a joined letter in The Times today to say that the draft legislation to stop small boat crossings to the UK "falls short of our obligation to the most vulnerable."
The letter comes ahead of the report stage debate on the Bill tomorrow (July 5) in the House of Lords.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who has described the Bill as "morally unacceptable and politically impractical" has tabled two amendments to the draft legislation which seek to force ministers to implement long-term plans for combating the refugee crisis and human trafficking.
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The faith leaders write: "As faith leaders we represent people and communities whos belief, worship and action point towards the kind of society we wish to build for the common good.
"The Illegal Migration Bill fails to meet the basic test of an evidence-based and workable policy. We need an alternative approach that reflects our country’s history, values and responsibility.
"With more than 100 million people displaced around the world, this crisis will not be solved without significant collective endeavour.
"To improve the Bill, we support an amendment requiring the government to produce a ten-year strategy, collaborating internationally to stop the boats here and globally, and tackle refugee crises and human trafficking.
"The UK should take a lead in setting out a just, compassionate approach, ensuring that people seeking sanctuary are protected, claims decided quickly and justly, human traffickers are punished, and the root causes of mass migration are properly addressed.”
The Bill aims to ensure those who arrive in the UK without Government permission will be detained and promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country.
The Court of Appeal has recently found the plan to send migrants to Rwanda as unlawful.
The Lords has voted against parts of the Bill that would weaken detention limits for children and pregnant women in a series of amendments.
They can be overturned when the Bill goes back to the House of Commons, where – unlike in the Lords – the Government has a majority.
The letter has also been signed by: Imam Qari Asi, Senior Imam of Makkah Mosque in Leeds, Imam Dr Sayed Razawi, Chief Imam of Scotland, The Right Rev Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, Commissioner Anthony Cotterill, Territorial Commander of the Salvation Army, Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, CEOs of Progressive Judaism, Mrs Trupti Patel, president, Hindu Forum of Britain, and Lord Singh of Wimbledon, Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations UK
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