London politics LIVE: Archbishop of Canterbury condemns Illegal Migration Bill as ‘morally unacceptable’ in House of Lords

The Archbishop of Canterbury has launched a withering attack on the Government’s plans to tackle the small boats crisis, as they faced their first test in the House of Lords on Wednesday.

The Most Rev Justin Welby argued the Illegal Migration Bill risked “great damage” to the UK’s reputation at home and abroad and said it was “morally unacceptable” to leave the poorest countries to deal with the migration crisis.

The top cleric urged a rethink of the flagship legislation aimed at ensuring people who arrive in the UK in small boats would be detained and promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda.

Nearly 90 peers were set to speak on Suella Braverman’s bill, with dozens of Labour, Liberal Democrat and crossbench peers against the plans.

The clampdown has been prompted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledge to “stop the boats” bringing migrants across the English Channel.

It came after Keir Starmer attacked Rishi Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions over the Conservatives’ loss of more than 1,000 councillors in last week’s local elections.

Live coverage ends

15:07 , Josh Salisbury

Our live coverage of PMQs is now ending.

Proceedings in the House of Lords over the government’s Illegal Migration Bill is still ongoing.

For an overview of the key issues of concern in that debate, please visit here.

Immigration minister says Archbishop ‘wrong’ in criticism of Bill

14:01 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick has accused the Archbishop of Canterbury of being “wrong on both counts” after Justin Welby described the Illegal Migration Bill as “morally unacceptable and politically impractical”.

He told the BBC’s World At One: “It’s important that the House of Lords plays its constitutional function scrutinising legislation but I strongly disagree with some of the comments that have been heard in the House of Lords today. This is the right approach.

“We have to tackle illegal migration and we have to bring control back to our borders.”

Asked about the Archbishop’s comments in the Lords earlier on Wednesday, Mr Jenrick said: “Well, he’s wrong on both counts.

“Firstly there’s nothing moral about allowing the pernicious trade of people smugglers to continue…I disagree with him respectfully. By bringing forward this proposal we make it clear that if you come across illegally on a small boat you will not find a route to life in the UK.”

He added: “That will have a serious deterrent effect.”

WATCH: Archbishop of Canterbury condemns Illegal Migration Bill in Lords

13:59 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

House of Lords debate adjourned

13:55 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

The House of Lords debate on the Illegal Migration Bill has been adjourned.

Peers are expected to return at 3pm for oral questions before continuing the debate on the Bill.

Government is ‘playing fast and loose with our place in the world’ - Labour peer

13:52 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Labour frontbencher Lord Coaker said: “In response to a broken system that is failing, we have a Government playing fast and loose with our place in the world and our respect for international law. This must change.”

He warned the Lords would not be “cowed” by Government demands to provide an easy passage for the Bill.

He added: “Of course we will seek to change it, of course we will seek to amend it, of course we will say where we think the Government has got it wrong. That has always been what this House does and we will not be deflected from that.”

Bishop of Durham weighs in to urge migrant children are protected

13:44 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

The Bishop of Durham quoted Jesus as he urged ministers to ensure migrant children will not be kept in detention for long periods of time.

The Rt Rev Paul Butler said migrant children needed the “highest levels of safeguarding written into the letter of the law” to protect them.

Explaining his worries about the Bill, he told peers: “The state will view a child or a pregnant woman first and foremost as individuals subject to immigration control, not as an innocent child or a vulnerable mother due to give birth.

“We need to ask – what about the Government’s duty to protect?”

The Bishop added: “I am reminded of Jesus’ words: It would be better to have a millstone around the neck and be cast into the sea than to cause a little one to stumble. This responsibility needs to bear upon us heavily.”

Lib Dem Lord says Bill ‘a low-point’ for Government

13:35 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Liberal Democrat Lord Paddick, a former senior police officer, has proposed a so-called fatal motion to the Bill in the upper chamber, aimed at stopping it in its tracks at its first parliamentary hurdle.

“This Bill seeks to systematically deny human rights to a group of people desperately seeking sanctuary,” he said. “This Bill would undermine the rule of law with ministers being able to ignore the rulings of judges. And at the same time we asking Russia and China to abide by international rule of law.”

He slammed the Bill as “a low-point in the history of this Government”, adding: “We should not allow it to proceed any further.”

Former Tory leader backs Bill, saying protecting borders ‘first duty of Government'

13:31 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Former Tory leader Michael Howard said he supported the Bill because the “first duty of a Government is to protect the borders of its state”.

Lord Howard of Lympne argued that the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)’s ruling that grounded flights to Rwanda was “contrary to all the rules of natural justice”, adding that the Bill was a “commendably moderate” response to it.

The former Leader of the Opposition also claimed arguments about the lack of safe and legal routes for asylum seekers is “irrelevant”.

He said: “Unless everyone, and I mean everyone, who applies for leave to enter the UK through a safe route is granted that right, there are some who are refused, and some of those who are refused will be able to acquire the means to pay the people smugglers and the people smugglers will continue to put them on boats to cross the Channel.”

No10 refuses to put deadline on end of small boats crossings

13:14 , Josh Salisbury

Downing Street has said it still cannot put a “deadline" on when it will stop small boats crossing the English channel.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: “Given that there is still legislation going through the House and given that there is still pending judgments on some aspects of our policy approach to this, we're not putting a deadline on it."

Poll: Labour 17 points ahead of Conservatives

13:10 , Josh Salisbury

A new poll has placed Labour on 43% of the vote compared to the Conservatives’ 26%.

The YouGov poll places Labour 17 points ahead of the Tories in voting intention, although the fieldwork was conducted before the local elections.

The Lib Dems are on 10% and the Greens on 7%.

Sir Keir narrowly leads Rishi Sunak on the question, “Which of the following do you think would make the best prime minister?”, with 30% saying Starmer, versus 27% for Rishi Sunak.

However, 40% said they were not sure.

Walthamstow MP raises case of stabbed schoolboy in the Commons

12:53 , Josh Salisbury

Labour’s Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy has raised the tragic case of a sixteen-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed in her constituency on Friday.

Renell Charles, 16, a pupil at Kelmscott School in Walthamstow, east London, was ambushed and fatally stabbed in the chest on Friday afternoon.

Ms Creasy says Renell’s family are “heartbroken” by their loss, and that children are terrified to go to school.

“They have asked me to come here today Prime Minister to beg you to make the epidemic of youth crime in our country a national priority,” she says.

Mr Sunak expresses his condolences to Renell’s family and says that while knife crime has fallen, the Government knows more needs to be done to make the streets safer for young people.

Sunak grilled over Sudan evacuations

12:48 , Josh Salisbury

Labour MP John Spellar asks Rishi Sunak about the plight of “dozens” of Sudanese NHS doctors who were stranded in Sudan and not allowed to return.

More than 20 NHS medics were initially told they could not board flights because they were not British nationals - although they have UK work permits.

But then the Government u-turned and allowed them to catch the last UK evacuation flights from the war-torn country.

Mr Spellar asks why the Government did not take this decision earlier - asking whether it is incompetent.

The PM responds it is “wrong” to describe the evacuation operation as straight-forward, and says it was right to prioritise British nationals and their dependents.

Archbishop of Canterbury condemns Government’s illegal migration bill as ‘morally unacceptable'

12:40 , Josh Salisbury

In the Lords, the Archbishop of Canterbury is urging the government to rethink the Illegal Migration Bill, saying it was “morally unacceptable" to leave the poorest countries to deal with the migration crisis.

Justin Welby said: “Of course we cannot take everyone and nor should we, but 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 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."

Mr Welby added: “It is isolationist, it is morally unacceptable and politically impractical to let the poorest countries deal with the crisis alone and cut our international aid. This Bill is an attempt at a short-term fix.

“It risks great damage to the UK's interests and reputation at home and abroad, let alone the interests of those in need of protection or the nations who together face this challenge.”

Lib Dem leader hails local election victories

12:31 , Josh Salisbury

Also doing a victory lap in the Commons after Tory losses in the local elections last week is Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey.

He says: “Last week, many Conservative voters turned to the Liberal Democrats to be their staunch local champions.

“They delivered their verdict on the Government’s failure to hold water companies to account, for dumping raw sewage into our rivers and onto our beaches. Last year, water bosses were paid £15m in bonuses, the reward of destroying our precious national environment.”

He asks whether the PM will ban bonuses for water companies offloading sewage.

Mr Sunak responds: “I struggled to hear the full question, but in one sense it doesn’t really matter because we all know the Liberal Democrats say one thing here and another thing locally anyway.”

SNP criticises police handling of coronation protests

12:27 , Josh Salisbury

The Scottish National Party has raised the police's handling of protest during the coronation at Prime Minister's Questions.

The party's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn told the Commons: “If the Prime Minister was to go to the boot of his Land Rover and pull out some placards which said 'save our non-doms' would he expect to be arrested by the police?"

Rishi Sunak thanked the police for their work during the coronation, adding: “On this issue we believe the police should have powers to make sure that they can protect the public from unnecessary and serious disruption.

“I respectfully recognise that he disagrees with our position. I guess the question for both of us is what does the Leader of the Opposition (Sir Keir Starmer) think about this? Because it is quite hard to keep up."

Sir Lindsay Hoyle warned the Prime Minister that he was meant to be answering questions, not asking them.

Starmer: Country paying price for ‘worn-out’ Government

12:25 , Josh Salisbury

Labour’s Keir Starmer says the country is suffering the cost of a “tired, worn-out government”.

“He’s smiling his way through the cost-of-living crisis, gloating about success while waiting lists grow,” says Sir Keir. “He’s pretending that crime, house building and schools are all just doing fine while handing the country 24 tax rises all with his name on them.

“How does he think the Tories can possibly provide the answers Britain needs, when the whole country has already told them: They’re the problem, not the solution.”

Mr Sunak responds: “It’s the same old guff from him every week Mr Speaker, all politics and no action.

“We’re getting on with halving people’s energy bills, freezing fuel duty, cutting the cost of childcare and boosting pay - while he’s busy plotting coalitions, we’re getting on and delivering for the British people.”

Sunak: Labour in power bankrupted the country

12:20 , Josh Salisbury

Returning to the question of council tax, Starmer asks again why the Conservatives won’t introduce a freeze.

Mr Sunak responds with a “quick history lesson,” saying that the Tories inherited empty coffers when they took over from Labour in 2010.

“And now, they won’t even oppose the picketers and the protesters, Mr Speaker. Even in opposition, they’re damaging the economy,” he says.

Labour says working people won’t understand why the Conservatives are protecting the non-dom tax status over cost-of-living support.

The Prime Minister says when Labour was last in power, they bankrupted the economy.

Starmer: Sunak ‘wishing away’ voters’ cost-of-living concerns

12:16 , Josh Salisbury

The Labour leader has accused Rishi Sunak of trying to “wish away” his election defeats last week by “peddling nonsense.”

“Up and down the country, people want the Government to focus on the cost of living,” he says. “But he’s got no answers. Is he planning to carry on as if nothing happened, and ignore the message he was sent last week?

“Or is he going to do what a Labour government would do and announce an immediate freeze on council tax bills?”

Mr Sunak says Labour-run councils have higher council tax than Tory ones.

He accuses Labour of not having a plan to tackle the cost-of-living, saying Labour cannot say where the money would come from.

Mr Starmer responds: “There’s only one party that broke the economy and they’re sitting right there”.

Tory loss of 1,000 councillors ‘one promise they have kept’ - Starmer

12:12 , Josh Salisbury

Continuing his theme, Labour’s Keir Starmer says the Tories losing 1,000 seats in the local elections is “a Tory promise they haven’t actually broken.”

He says that Mr Sunak is losing whenever he comes into contact with voters. “The prime minister keeps on entering a two horse race and somehow coming third,” he says.

“Given his track record, who does he think he’s actually got a mandate from,” Mr Starmer asks.

Mr Sunak responds: “It’s a bit rich to hear about a mandate from the person who’s broken every single promise he was elected on. I can go through the list: nationalisations, NHS outsourcing, universal credit, and now tuition fees.”

He adds: “He’s not just Sir Softie, he’s Sir Flakey too.”

Starmer pokes fun at Tory election losses

12:08 , Josh Salisbury

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer raises to his feet for his first question to the PM.

He asks Mr Sunak whether he can provide an update on employment stats - “now that he has cost a thousand Tory councillors their jobs”.

This is a reference to last week’s local elections, which saw a bruising set of losses for the Conservatives.

Mr Sunak responds by referencing advice given by former Labour PM Tony Blair, who said “come the general election, policy counts.”

He says: “The problem for him, is he doesn’t have any”.

Sunak criticises Khan over Ulez expansion

12:06 , Josh Salisbury

Rishi Sunak has hit out London’s mayor Sadiq Khan over the expansion of Ulez.

Mr Sunak is responding to a question by Gagan Mohindra, Tory MP for Hertfordshire South West, who raised a constituent’s concern about Ulez.

Mr Sunak says Mr Khan is expanding the zone against the wishes of families.

PMQs begins

12:03 , Josh Salisbury

Prime Minister’s Questions has begun.

In a quirk of timing, the Archbishop of Canterbury has also begun his intervention against the Government’s small boats bill in the Lords.

Rishi Sunak begins by responding to a question by Labour MP Clive Lewis, who asked about dentistry access.

Mr Sunak says there are record sums going into NHS dentistry under the Conservatives.

Sunak ‘should be worried’ by ‘Londonisation' of the South-East, says expert

11:39 , Josh Salisbury

Rishi Sunak should be very concerned about the threat of political “Londonisation” of the South-East, a leading expert has warned.

Professor Tony Travers, from the London School of Economics, highlighted some of the shock results in the region outside the capital in last week’s town hall elections.

“It looks as if people are leaving London and some of them are taking their Liberal Democrat and Labour-voting habits with them,” he told the Standard.

“There is a risk to the Conservative Party of ‘Londonisation’, particularly in the South-East. It appears to have started to the west of London. As you look west from London there is a large and growing patch of Lib-Dem councils.”

Professor Travers, an expert in local government, stressed that swathes of the South-East had been the “bedrock” of the Conservative Party “even in bad years”, so party chiefs should be “very concerned” at the latest apparent shift in voting patterns.

Read more here.

Rishi Sunak leaves No10 for PMQs

11:37 , Josh Salisbury

Ex-Tory Andrew Bridgen formally defects to Reclaim party

11:29 , Josh Salisbury

A former Conservative MP who was kicked out of the party after comparing Covid vaccines to the “biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust” has joined the Reclaim Party.

Andrew Bridgen said in an event in Westminster: “There is a huge chasm now between our Parliament and what goes on in Westminster and the people."

The North West Leicestershire MP said he was joining Laurence Fox's party “because they respect free speech as the basis for every aspect of our democracy and our society".

He also said he has formally sued Matt Hancock for libel after Mr Hancock called his comments “antisemitic".

At a Reclaim Party event on Wednesday morning, Mr Bridgen said he had submitted a defamation claim to the High Court.

Government urges peers to support small boats legislation

11:19 , Josh Salisbury

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of PMQs.

It is the first PMQs since the Conservative Party lost more than 1,000 councillors in last week’s local elections.

However, the government is also facing a showdown in the Lords over its small boats bill, which is facing opposition.

Ministers have urged peers to back the Illegal Migration Bill, despite a rare ‘fatal’ motion from the Liberal Democrats which would have the effect of blocking it if backed.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “We are committed to ensuring that this legislation passes through Parliament as soon as possible, and urge the Lords to back the Bill, so we can get on with stopping the boats."