Incoming Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally has warned that Britain’s debate over immigration is increasingly dividing society, urging the country to focus on shared humanity rather than polarisation. She made the remarks during a Christmas sermon delivered at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Thursday.
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Ms Mullally, currently the Bishop of London, will formally assume office on January 28, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion, which has an estimated 85 million followers worldwide. In her sermon, she addressed immigration as one of the most contentious issues facing the country.
“Our national conversations about immigration continue to divide us, when our common humanity should unite us,” she said. She added that Christians were called to hold on to “joy as an act of resistance”, describing it as a form of courage that acknowledges suffering rather than ignoring it.
First Female Archbishop of Canterbury says debates on immigration “divide us” while calling for sympathy for those who “experience the hardship and injustice of inequality.”
Dame Sarah Mullally, the incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, has said debates on immigration “continue to… pic.twitter.com/350kZhlr0p
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Immigration has become a central political issue in the United Kingdom, particularly amid continued arrivals of undocumented asylum seekers crossing the English Channel in small boats. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government has pledged to dismantle people-smuggling networks, but has so far struggled to significantly reduce the overall number of arrivals, most of whom enter the country legally.
The issue has been increasingly exploited by the anti-immigration Reform party, whose rising support reflects a broader surge of far-right movements across Europe. Analysts say immigration remains a potent political tool in a period of economic strain and social uncertainty.
Ms Mullally is set to succeed Justin Welby, who stepped down earlier this year following a damning independent review into the Church of England’s handling of historical sexual abuse cases. Mr Welby became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in more than a millennium to resign amid a scandal.
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In a recent interview, Mr Welby said he failed to follow up abuse allegations due to the “overwhelming” scale of cases confronting the Church. The institution continues to face criticism over safeguarding failures and is also reviewing a complaint dating back to 2020 concerning Ms Mullally’s handling of abuse allegations, adding to the challenges awaiting the new Archbishop as she takes office.