The Church of England has accused Boris Johnson of a “disgraceful slur” against the Archbishop of Canterbury, following his criticism of the government’s immigration policy on Easter Sunday.
According to sources close to the prime minister he said at a private meeting with Tory MPs that the plans to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda was a “good policy” despite some “criticism on the BBC and from senior members of the clergy”.
He added that they “had been less vociferous in their condemnation on Easter Sunday of Putin than they were on our policy of illegal immigrants”.
The comments drew a swift risposte from John Bingham, head of media at the Church of England, who said in a post on social media that if the reports from the meeting were true they were “a disgraceful slur”.
SNP MP Joanna Cherry branded Mr Johnson’s comments a “filthy lie” and said it was “the church’s job to call out immorality.”
It comes as Mr Johnson prepares to leave later on Wednesday for his long-delayed trip to India, as MPs are getting ready for a crucial vote on Thursday over the Partygate scandal.
