Reflections by Rev Hilary Barber

Then came the mini budget that saw the end of Liz Truss as PM, and the swift elevation of her main rival Rishi Sunak as the new PM, whose challenge is to come in and sure everything up that had gone tipsy turvey over the last few weeks.

When it comes to what makes Britain Great, a favourite topic of the Far Right, we should all rejoice that as the UK continues to evolve, we have arrived at this point in our history when a person of a different

ethnicity from White British, and as a practising Hindu, can be elected and appointed Prime Minster. This is a positive and mature sign of our nation progressing forward in the 21 st century.

One of the many challenges for the PM is that of Immigration Policy. In recent weeks, as the number of people crossing the English Channel begins to soar, more and more refugees and asylum seekers are being temporarily housed here in Halifax. Because The Minster is the only public building open daily, some of these people find their way to the Minster. I’ve met some lovely people with their children.

Most are professionals and are desperate to work and to pay their taxes, and want to be honourable citizens. They flee from extraordinary abuse and persecution in their own land, and naturally seek a peaceful and better life for themselves and their children.

Its quite clear the Boris Johnson’s policy of sending people to Rwanda has had no effect whatsoever, and in fact it’s getting worse day by day. Reports from the Inspectorate of the way Refugees and Asylum seekers are being dealt with when they arrive are deplorable and shameful. These are vulnerable people seeking our help. Growth for the economy has been the story of the past few weeks. Why not begin to fill the empty jobs in the NHS, in the agricultural sector, and provide homes for these people – the overwhelming of whom are honourable citizens who want to

work, and make a contribution to the economy and society at large. Those who come to create mischief should be dealt with appropriately. Here in Halifax we have the opportunity to welcome the lost, the confused, the betrayed, the outcast, into a more humane community, and town of sanctuary. This is what makes Britain Great!