Archbishop condemns ‘cruelty’ of government handling of refugees and migrants

‘It is not a solution – it is a mistake,’ Justin Welby told peers

The Archbishop of Canterbury has delivered a scathing condemnation of the government’s “immoral” and “cruel” treatment of migrants and asylum seekers.

In a speech to the House of Lords, Justin Welby said that the principle of offering protection to refugees has been “politically degraded” by successive UK governments.

He condemned the government’s policy of making life difficult for unauthorised arrivals, saying: “A hostile environment is an immoral environment.”