Boris Johnson has said he was surprised by the criticism from the Archbishop of Canterbury over government plans to send asylum seekers who've entered the UK illegally to Rwanda.
The Prime Minister claims it is "the morally right thing to do" to stop people traffickers overseeing dangerous crossings on the channel.
His comments come after Justin Welby said the proposals raised "serious ethical questions" when delivering his Easter Sunday address.
Speaking to Tory MPs earlier this week, the Prime Minister suggested he'd been quick to speak on this issue, but not on the war in Ukraine.
Following up on those comments, while speaking to reporters on his trip to India, he said: "I have a very good relationship with the archbishop, all I was saying was I think we have an excellent policy to try to stop people drowning at sea, in the Channel, and I was surprised to find it criticised," he said.
"I think it's the morally right thing to do, to stop criminal, cynical gangs from exploiting people and sending them to a watery grave.
"I think it's a sensible, brave and original policy."
During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday Mr Johnson declined to apologise over his comments about the archbishop's priorities of issues to speak out upon when challenged by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
