"Tice defends Reform's immigration stance against Church of England backlash"

Reform UK has clashed with the Church of England over its proposal to deport all asylum seekers arriving by small boats after the church's senior bishop described the plan as "isolationist, short-term, and kneejerk."

Richard Tice, the party’s deputy leader, disputed the comments made by the archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, accusing him of overstepping into political matters.

Nigel Farage, Reform’s leader, recently announced the party’s migration strategy, which includes withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and deporting those who arrive, or have recently arrived, by small boats from France.

Cottrell told a news program: "We should resist this kind of isolationist, short-term, kneejerk reaction—such as simply saying, ‘send them home’. Mr. Farage’s rhetoric lacks a long-term solution to the complex global issues driving migration."

Responding to the criticism, Tice dismissed the bishop’s remarks and suggested that religious leaders should avoid involvement in migration policy. When pressed on which part of the criticism he rejected, Tice said: "All of it."

He added: "I respect the church and believe in God. But it is not the archbishop’s role to intervene in migration policies."

Farage’s proposed asylum plan includes deporting Channel crossers, even to nations like Afghanistan and Eritrea. To achieve this, Reform pledges to withdraw Britain from multiple international agreements, including the ECHR, the 1951 Refugee Convention, and UN anti-torture treaties.

A Reform-led government would also dispatch immigration officials nationwide to identify and deport individuals who arrived as irregular migrants and later settled in the UK.

The party has faced scrutiny over the feasibility and cost of the policy. Farage initially stated that women and children would be subject to deportation before appearing to backtrack, suggesting it was not "part of our plan."

When asked by CuriosityNews how he had estimated the cost at £10bn—significantly lower than an independent calculation of similar plans—Farage replied, "Our team has strong analytical abilities."

Reform has also proposed involving the navy in enforcing migration controls. Tice confirmed that their role would largely mirror that of current border patrols, serving primarily as observers.

The party continues to push for the closure of asylum hotels, despite a recent court ruling allowing the government to keep using a hotel in Epping for those awaiting claims processing.