Around 40 Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders are calling on the new Prime Minister to reject the government’s current asylum policies.

They’re urging Andy Burnham not to implement reforms set out in the White Paper and Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026. In a letter they write: “This is a moment to choose what kind of country we are. Our faiths teach us to welcome the stranger as new neighbours. As such, when displaced people turn to our communities for support, we open our doors. We know that those fleeing persecution are no different to us. They want to live in safety, contribute to their communities, and build a good life for their families.”

The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced last November that the White Paper, Restoring control over the immigration system, would reform illegal migration, with the status of people granted leave to remain in Britain being reviewed after 30 months instead of five years. The qualifying period for refugees to apply for permanent residence would rise from five years to twenty.

Signatories to the letter include the Bishop of Chelmsford, Rt Rev Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Sheffield, Rt Rev Dr Pete Wilcox and the President of the Methodist Conference Rev Mark Stanley. They say that while they understand the need for a managed and equitable asylum system, “we do not believe that subjecting refugees and people seeking asylum to endless cycles of uncertainty, unnavigable support systems, and painfully long routes to settlement achieves this. Instead, refugee settlement reforms undermine social cohesion, threaten to harm integration, and risk deepening a sense of us and them”.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those most in need, but our immigration system must balance compassion, control and contribution. That must start with protecting our borders.

“The Immigration and Asylum Bill will bear down on abuse of the asylum system, whilst reforming human rights laws to preserve protection for those in need."