SENIOR leaders at the Church of England have called the Home Office's plan to deport migrants to Rwanda 'immoral'.
The Most Rev Justin Welby and the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, the senior leaders, alongside 23 bishops criticised the plan.
"Whether or not the first deportation flight leaves Britain today for Rwanda, this policy should shame us as a nation," they wrote to The Times, in a co-signed letter. "The shame is our own because our Christian heritage should inspire us to treat asylum seekers with compassion, fairness and justice, as we have for centuries."
It comes just hours after three Court of Appeal judges struck down lawyers, charities and campaigners' latest bid to thwart the first Kigali-bound flight leaving on Tuesday (14).
Rev Justin Welby previously blasted the government's Rwanda plan for asylum seekers as the 'opposite of the nature of God'
The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), which represents more than 80 per cent of Border Force staff, and charities Care4Calais and Detention Action challenged the refusal to grant an injunction on Friday.
Following an urgent hearing in London on Monday (13), three senior judges dismissed the appeal, saying there was no error in the decision of Justice Swift.
The letter to The Times is also signed by the bishops of London, Durham, Exeter, Birmingham and Manchester.
Earlier, the Archbishop told his Canterbury congregation that the UK has a duty as a 'Christian country' to not 'sub-contract our responsibilities'.
Cabinet ministers hit back at Welby after his outspoken intervention in April.
The Archbishop's comments were later echoed by Prince Charles, after The Mail revealed he had privately condemned the Rwanda asylum plan, saying giving Channel migrants a one-way ticket to Africa was 'appalling'.
According to the current plan, migrants travelling to the UK on small boats will be put on jets and sent to Rwanda while their applications are processed.
It was reported that the former archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan William, was locked in a war of words with the government over its £120 million scheme to halt a surge in Channel crossings.
He joined his successor and the incumbent Archbishop Justin Welby, and Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell in questioning the morality of the plan, labelling it 'sinful'.
More than 100 people were originally notified they were due to be deported under the policy, the number has now dropped to just eight asylum seekers, the MailOnline reported.
The decision will not stop individual refugees from appealing their deportation, while a full judicial review of the policy is still due to take place.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)