[Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church] A group of Church of England bishops, as well as the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, have joined Jewish, Muslim and other Christian leaders in signing a joint letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling for a more compassionate and respectful tone in the national conversation around migration after he announced plans to reduce immigration to the U.K.
The letter, coordinated by HIAS+JCORE, a United Kingdom-based Jewish organization that advocates for racial justice and refugee rights, expresses deep concern that current political rhetoric risks “strengthening those who would divide us” and undermines the U.K.’s proud tradition of offering sanctuary to those in need.
Fifteen Church of England bishops signed, representing the dioceses of Bristol, Chelmsford, Gloucester, Guildford, Leeds, Leicester, Lichfield, Lincoln, London, Manchester, St. Albans, Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Southwark and Winchester.
Scottish Primus Mark Strange said, “I back the call in this letter for the Government to ‘affirm those things that would bring us together.’ To govern is to choose, and this Government has a responsibility to choose ‘fair policies that balance the needs of host communities with real opportunities for people restarting their lives after fleeing war, conflict and persecution.’”
While acknowledging public concerns around migration, the signatories stress the need for a response that is “principled and lowers the temperature of the debate, respecting the dignity of all who make up our nation.”
The full text of the letter is available here.