THE Archbishop of York and other senior faith figures have expressed “deep misgivings” about the Government's controversial Rwanda plan after the Bill underpinning it completed its journey through Parliament.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, and the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, joined other senior voices from the Catholic Church in condemning the plan.

The Safety of Rwanda (Immigration and Asylum) Bill is now on the verge of becoming law, after a deadlock between the House of Commons and House of Lords ended on Monday night.

The Government believes the new law will dramatically restrict the ability of migrants to legally avoid being sent on a one-way flight to Rwanda, with the aim that deportations will deter small boats crossing the English Channel.

In a joint statement, the church leaders said: "We retain deep misgivings about the Safety of Rwanda Bill, passed in Parliament last night, for the precedent it sets at home and for other countries in how we respond to the most vulnerable.

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"This includes victims of modern slavery and children wrongly assessed as adults, whom we have a duty to protect."

In the earlier period of the Bill being voted on between the two Houses of Parliament, peers – including bishops – had sought to ensure victims of modern slavery would not fall within the remit of the law.

The faith leaders added: "We note with sadness and concern the rise in hostility towards those who come to these islands seeking refuge and the way in which the treatment of the refugee and asylum seeker has been used as a political football.

"We are disappointed that the kindness and support offered by churches and charities to the people at the heart of this debate – those fleeing war, persecution and violence trying to find a place of safety – has been unjustly maligned by some for political reasons.

"In their response to the tragic attack in Clapham earlier this year, some former Home Office ministers, MPs and other commentators sought to portray churches and clergy as deliberately facilitating false asylum claims."

They pledged to work with the Home Office "in good faith" on migration issues.

While acknowledging there were differences between their churches and the Government, they said they agreed “borders must be managed and that vulnerable people need protection from people smugglers”.

The senior faith figures also include Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees; the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales; Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun; Rev Lynn Green, General Secretary, The Baptist Union of Great Britain; Rev Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, United Reformed Church General Assembly Moderator; and Rev Gill Newton, President of the Methodist Conference.