Nigel Farage’s mass deportation plans are ‘beneath us as a nation’, UK’s top bishop says
Archbishop of York issues scathing rebuke of Reform UK deportation plans
- Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell has slammed Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's proposals for the mass deportation of asylum seekers, stating they are “beneath us as a nation”.
- Mr Farage's plan includes removing 600,000 asylum seekers, scaling up detention capacity to 24,000, and securing deals with countries like Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Iran for migrant returns.
- The Archbishop argued that these radical proposals contradict the longstanding “British way” of offering compassion and understanding to those fleeing war, violence, and persecution.
- He said that the UK “cannot simply close the door” on people seeking refuge, asserting that providing shelter to those escaping conflict is both the Christian and British tradition.
- Mr Farage dismissed the criticism, suggesting that Christian leaders have been “rather out of touch” with their congregations.