Illegal Migration Bill not against Christian values, says minister

Sarah Dines MP urged Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to ‘look again’ at the reforms following his rare intervention in the House of Lords.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby speaking in the House of Lords during the debate on the Government’s Illegal Migration Bill (House of Lords 2023/Roger Harris/PA) (PA Media)

A Home Office minister has denied the Government’s Illegal Migration Bill goes against Christian values after the Archbishop of Canterbury condemned it as “morally unacceptable”.

Sarah Dines MP urged the Most Rev Justin Welby to “look at it again” following his rare intervention in the House of Lords over the proposed legislation.

The Bill aims to ensure that people arriving in the UK without permission will be detained and swiftly removed, either to their home country or a third nation such as Rwanda.