In response to Prime Minister Keir Starmer's recent speech on immigration, over 25 senior faith leaders from Christian, Muslim, and Jewish backgrounds have penned an open letter urging a shift towards a more compassionate approach to the narrative surrounding migrants. The letter criticizes the rhetoric that fosters public anxiety and division and calls for a principled dialogue that emphasizes unity within communities. The concerns arise amid criticisms of the government's immigration white paper, which many advocate needs to prioritize empathy and understanding over fear and separation.
Our concern is that the current narrative, which presents only one side of the debate, will only drive public anxiety and entrench polarisation. When you refer to the incalculable damage done by uncontrolled migration, you are in danger of harming migrant members of our communities and strengthening those who would divide us.
The interfaith letter states that concern about immigration should be addressed in a principled way that lowers the temperature of the debate and prioritises bringing communities together.
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