Suella Braverman 'turned down meeting with Justin Welby to discuss immigration'

30 September 2023, 14:15

Suella Braverman has avoided a meeting with Justin Welby on immigration
Suella Braverman has avoided a meeting with Justin Welby on immigration. Picture: Alamy

By Kit Heren

Suella Braverman has avoided meeting the Archbishop of Canterbury over his concerns about her stance on immigration.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The Most Rev Justin Welby has "reached out a number of times" to the Home Secretary's office without securing a meeting with her, according to The House, Parliament's magazine.

A spokesman for the archbishop confirmed the approach to The House.

He said: "The archbishop would be happy to meet the Home Secretary to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern.

"In the past, the archbishop has met other home secretaries. It is not unusual."

Read more: Archbishop of Canterbury leads attack against Sunak's migrant bill as govt suffers more defeats in House of Lords

Read more: UN slaps down Suella Braverman after Home Secretary says uncontrolled migration is ‘existential challenge’ to the West

Suella Braverman
Suella Braverman. Picture: Alamy

Ms Braverman's response was seen as a "big slap in the face" by the archbishop and caused "consternation", according to a former senior advisor to the 26 bishops in the House of Lords.

The archbishop met Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, the Daily Telegraph reported, after an informal approach for a meeting was made.

Mr Welby has been an outspoken critic of the government's migration policy, labelling its proposed legislation "morally unacceptable"

He and other bishops have criticised the government's plan to send migrants to Rwanda and he condemned "harmful rhetoric" about refugees in a House of Lords speech.

Justin Welby wanted to meet Ms Braverman to discuss immigration
Justin Welby wanted to meet Ms Braverman to discuss immigration. Picture: Getty

Mr Welby successfully passed an amendment to a government bill in July that would aim to ensure those who enter the UK illegally are detained and deported back to their country of origin, or Rwanda. His amendment would force the government to formulate a 10-year plan for working with international partners to tackle the refugee crisis.

The archbishop said in May: "This bill has no sense at all of the long term and the global nature of the challenge that the world faces."It ignores the reality that global migration must be engaged with at source as well as in the Channel as if we as a country were unrelated to the rest of the world."

The archbishop added that the bill does not make any effort to tackle issues that are causing mass migration, including wars and climate change.

"It is isolationist, it is morally unacceptable and politically impractical," he said.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Saudi Arabia for peace talks with Russia as the war in Ukraine rages on.

US-Russia peace talks for Ukraine begin as Europe blocked out of Saudi Arabia meeting

Harry received a standing ovation at the closing ceremony.

Meghan's four-word response as Prince Harry receives standing ovation in emotional Invictus Games closing ceremony

Exclusive
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (far right) visits the Tapa NATO forward operating base in Estonia.

Starmer should send 'warships, combat brigade, and air squadrons' to Ukraine in show of leadership, says ex-armed forces minister

Millions of jobs at risk as UK firms mull biggest layoffs in close to a decade amid plunging business confidence

Millions of jobs at risk as UK firms mull 'biggest layoffs in a decade' amid plunging business confidence

Wes Streeting says campaign to free Lucy Letby is 'not right'

'This isn't a political campaign, it's a legal process': Wes Streeting says campaign to free Lucy Letby is 'not right'

Exclusive
West Streeting, left, has back Sir Keir Starmer after the Prime Minister said he was ready to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine.

Peace in Ukraine 'vital for Britain's freedom', says Streeting as he backs PM's calls for troops on the ground

From Conclave to The Brutalist - the full 2025 BAFTA's winners list revealed

From Conclave to The Brutalist - the full 2025 BAFTA's winners list revealed

President Zelenskyy of Ukraine has arrived in the United Arab Emirates ahead of this week's expected peace talks aimed at ending his country's war with Russia.

Zelenskyy visits UAE as Starmer signals support for British troop deployment in Ukraine peacekeeping

Emergency services were called just after 7pm on Friday amid reports a woman had suffered serious injuries

'I thought it was fireworks': Pub landlady describes moments before fatal Valentine's Day car park shooting

Danielle McLaughlin's killer Baghat was finally found guilty today

Man sentenced to life in prison over rape and murder of Irish backpacker Danielle McLaughlin in Goa

Shakira: Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour Kick Off - Rio de Janeiro

Singer Shakira admitted to hospital after abdominal issues force her to cancel concert

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Kyiv 'not invited' to US-Russia peace negotiations

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer

NHS on 'road to recovery', claims PM as he meets pledge to deliver two million extra appointments

Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.

'I'm ready to put British troops into Ukraine', Keir Starmer says ahead of emergency Paris summit

Princess of Wales 'put her foot down'

Kate 'put her foot down' and stopped George, Charlotte and Louis taking part in gory hunting tradition

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: Mikey Madison, winner of Leading Actress Award for 'Anora' and Adrien Brody, winner of the Leading Actor Award for 'The Brutalist'

Conclave wins Best Film at BAFTAs as Adrien Brody named Best Actor