The Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church is among signatories to an open letter sent to Prime Minister Keir Starmer today questioning the tone of recent communications from the UK Government on plans to reduce immigration to the UK.

The letter asks the Prime Minister to “reconsider the language the government uses when discussing migration, following the rhetoric used to announce the Immigration White Paper earlier this week.

“Our concern is that the current narrative, which presents only one side of the debate, will only drive public anxiety and entrench polarization. When you refer to the “incalculable” damage done by uncontrolled migration, you are in danger of harming migrant members of our communities and strengthening those who would divide us.”

Commenting, the Primus 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.’

“If there is pressure on our public services and there is too little to go around, then use the role given to you to give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothes for the naked, care for the sick, compassion to those in prison and welcome to the stranger.”

The full text of the letter can be read here.

The letter was co-ordinated by HIAS+JCORE, the UK Jewish refugee charity which works for a more compassionate refugee policy. Alongside the Primus, it was also signed by Iftikhar Ali, Co-Chair of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society, Jill Kent from Justice & Peace Scotland and Esther Moodie from Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees. Imam Qari Asim, Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, a number of Church of England bishops, representatives from the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Liberal Judaism, the Methodist Church, the Salvation Army, and the United Reformed Church were also among those who signed.

Elsewhere in the Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church (TEC) in the USA has also communicated it’s displeasure at the actions of the US Federal Government towards asylum seekers and refugees.

The Most Rev Sean Rowe, Presiding Bishop of TEC announced that: “In light of our church’s steadfast commitment to racial justice and reconciliation and our historic ties with the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, we are not able to take this step,” referring to the federal government’s request that the Episcopal Migration Service work to resettle a group of white South Africans granted refugee status by the President, in contrast to his decision to end protections Afghan refugees had had from deportation.

He continued: “It has been painful to watch one group of refugees, selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment over many others who have been waiting in refugee camps or dangerous conditions for years. I am saddened and ashamed that many of the refugees who are being denied entrance to the United States are brave people who worked alongside our military in Iraq and Afghanistan and now face danger at home because of their service to our country.”