Illegal migration bill is ‘cruelty without purpose’, says Archbishop of York

Jewish leaders join Stephen Cottrell in urging government not to penalise world's most vulnerable' as charities and businesses voice horror in open letter

The government's new asylum and migration law amounts to cruelty without purpose" and is immoral and inept", the Archbishop of York has said in a powerful intervention over plans unveiled last week.

Stephen Cottrell's condemnation came as a coalition of more than 350 charities, businesses, unions and legal groups condemned Rishi Sunak's cruel and unworkable" plans to detain and immediately deport those coming to the UK in small boats.