Archbishop of Canterbury claims immigration is placing ‘very heavy burden’ on UK
But Justin Welby tore into Nigel Farage for 'legitimising racism' for political ends
SKY-HIGH immigration is placing a “very heavy burden” on parts of Britain – the Archbishop of Canterbury declared today.
And the Most Rev Justin Welby urged Ministers to splash the cash to help communities cope with the extraordinary numbers from abroad.
Speaking to MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC), he said the Government had to look “facts in the face” and relieve the pressure on schools and hospitals.
While insisting Britain was not “full” he said it was completely reasonable to be worried about the effects of the record level of net migration to the UK.
He said: “We never serve ourselves well by neglecting to look facts in the face.
“In many communities there is a great deal of nervousness, a genuine fear, such as can we get our children into schools? To answer to fear is not to say it’s improper to fear but to recognise fear and to address the cause of the fear.
“There are areas of significant deprivation bearing a very heavy burden from immigration.
“I think the answer to the burden is that one has to provide extra significant resource to the communities affected and that has to come from central Government.”
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The comments marked a stark contrast to David Cameron’s warning that immigration was a price worth paying for having a strong economy – and EU membership.
The Archbishop – the first to give evidence to a Commons Select Committee – in March said it was “outrageous” to label people worried about mass migration as racists.
He repeated the remark today, but rounded on UKIP chief Nigel Farage for inciting racist behaviour by saying that staying in the EU could lead to mass sex attacks by migrants on these shores. The Archbishop said: “I think that is an inexcusable pandering to people’s worries and prejudices.
“That is giving legitimisation to racism which I’ve seen in parishes in which I’ve served, and has led to attacks on people in those parishes. We cannot legitimise that.
“What this is is accentuating fear for political gain and that is absolutely inexcusable.”
He also hit back at the Leave campaign for stirring fears about Turkey’s possible accession to the EU – saying it could stoke the concern about Britain “becoming an Islamic country”.
Quizzed whether he backed a Brexit or the Remain campaign, the Archbishop told Labour’s Keith Vaz: “I will resist the urge to get diverted.”