Rwanda asylum plan: Bishop of Chelmsford 'extremely anxious' about implications

The Bishop of Chelmsford referenced her own experience as an asylum seeker in her letter to Priti Patel

The government's plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda "treats the most vulnerable in our midst in a cruel and inhumane way", the Bishop of Chelmsford said.

The Right Reverend Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani wrote an open letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel expressing her concerns about the policy.

She said she was "extremely anxious" about the scheme's implications.

The Home Office said the plan would "overhaul our broken asylum system".

Priti Patel and Rwanda Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta said their plan was "bold and innovative"

Dr Francis-Dehqani decided to write the letter after the Archbishop of Canterbury said in his Easter sermon that the policy was "subcontracting our responsibilities".

Under the £120m scheme, people deemed to have entered the UK unlawfully will be transported to the east African country, where they will be allowed to apply for the right to settle.

It has faced widespread opposition, with more than 160 charities and campaign groups urging ministers to scrap what they described as a "cruel" policy. It has also been criticised by opposition parties and some Conservatives, including the former Prime Minister Theresa May.

She told the Commons she did not support the plan due to her concerns over whether it met standards on "legality, practicality and efficacy".

Dr Francis-Dehqani referenced her "own lived experience as an asylum seeker" in her letter. She was born in Iran and left aged 13.

"Those who find their way to this country, often through treacherous means, deserve to have their cases considered and processed here," she said.

Ms Patel has hit back at critics of the plan, saying they had failed to offer solutions.

Dr Francis-Dehqani said in her other role as bishop for housing, she was looking at ways for the church to use its land to provide housing for those who need it the most.

"We are seeking meetings with government ministers to talk about how we can better do that," she said.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "This world-leading migration partnership will overhaul our broken asylum system, which is currently costing the UK taxpayer £1.5bn a year - the highest amount in two decades.

"It means those arriving dangerously, illegally or unnecessarily can be relocated to have their asylum claims considered and, if recognised as refugees, build their lives there."