The next Archbishop of Canterbury has called for compassion and caution when debating new laws that could penalise asylum seekers
Speaking in the House of Lords, Rt Rev Dame Sarah Mullally said she had “deep concerns” about an amendment to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which would make it law that a person could not be granted “refugee status as a result of religious persecution" if they converted after arriving in the UK.
Citing the World Watch List 2025 by Open Doors, she told peers that more than 380 million Christians worldwide currently face high levels of persecution, with around 4,500 killed last year for their faith.
“The data on the persecution of Christians makes it clear that people are willing, and indeed do die, for their Christian faith today,” she said. “We should tread extremely carefully when legislating on such profound matters.”
The archbishop-designate and current Bishop of London said genuine Christian conversion is rarely an instant decision. “Conversion to the Christian faith is for most not like flicking a switch,” she said. “It is a process which may take years.”
She added that for believers from countries where declaring faith in Christ could cost them their lives, “what better evidence of fear of religious persecution … than that a person might wait until they were in the UK to publicly declare their faith?”
The amendment was brought forward by Baroness Maclean of Redditch, who warned about reported “bathtub conversions” in asylum hotels.
The Conservative former Home Office minister said: “When I see our Christian faith being used as a fast track for subverting our British open-heartedness and tolerance, I feel it is simply wrong, and I know this view is shared by the general public.
“I am afraid I can find no evidence of anyone converting to Islam in order to avoid deportation or to lodge an asylum claim. It seems to me it’s always Christianity that is used in this way.
“While as Christians we are called to follow the teachings of Jesus, as policymakers we must be pragmatic and work with our knowledge of human nature, which is not perfect. There is evil in people’s hearts.”
Referring to a past Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry, Dame Sarah highlighted that it found no evidence of widespread abuse of the asylum system through fake conversions.
Acknowledging that some might believe conversion could help an asylum claim, she said clergy were “not naïve” about this and are trained to discern sincerity through “teaching, discussion, reflection, observation and prayer.”
“It is not the job of clergy to assess asylum claims,” she added. “The Home Office has stated that evidence from clergy or church members in an asylum case does not determine the outcome of a claim.”
Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint emphasised that someone cannot be granted refugee status solely based on religious conversion.
Meanwhile, Dame Sarah highlighted guidance issued by the Church of England in January to help clergy support asylum seekers, and noted similar resources from the Baptist Union, Methodist Church, and United Reformed Church.
“I am proud that the Church into which I am called to serve welcomes, indeed embraces, any and all who express a genuine, considered and informed decision to follow Jesus Christ,” she said. “We live in a world in which people regularly die for their Christian faith and where many hide it for fear of persecution. It remains as important now as ever to offer protection, sanctuary and peace.”
Another amendment to the bill seeks to find out how many asylum claims have been accepted based on religious conversions to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or any other religion in the past five years.
Dame Sarah said she did not have an issue with this amendment, other than that it is “motivated by a desire to make further an issue, something that is, in fact, not an issue”.
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will progress to its third reading in the House of Lords on 17th November.
