Church leaders criticise Cameron over lack of foreign policy direction

In a strongly-worded attack on David Cameron’s handling of the crisis in Iraq - backed by the Archbishop of Canterbury - the Bishop of Leeds said “many” senior clergy were seriously concerned.

The Right Rev Nicholas Baines has written to the Prime Minister questioning whether there is any long-term strategy and criticising a “growing silence” over the fate of the plight of persecuted Christians.

In particular he raised questions about ministers’ failure to respond to calls - including through parliamentary questions - to set out what arrangements would be made to offer asylum in the UK.

And he expressed fears over the future of the Government’s “commitment to religious freedom”.

The cleric said he recognised “the complexity and interconnectedness of the challenges” but joined criticism of an apparent failure to respond effectively to the advance of Islamic State fighters.

“It appears that, in common with the United States and other partners, the UK is responding to events in a reactive way, and it is difficult to discern the strategic intentions behind this approach,” he wrote in the letter, which he issud to newspapers and published on his website.

“Please can you tell me what is the overall strategy that holds together the UK Government’s response to both the humanitarian situation and what IS is actually doing in Syria and Iraq?

“Behind this question is the serious concern that we do not seem to have a coherent or comprehensive approach to Islamist extremism as it is developing across the globe.

“Islamic State, Boko Haram and other groups represent particular manifestations of a global phenomenon, and it is not clear what our broader global strategy is - particularly insofar as the military, political, economic and humanitarian demands interconnect.”

The Church internationally should be “a primary partner in addressing this complexity”, he told him.

The bishop welcomed the “notable and admirable” focus on the plight of the minority Yazidi community, who have been at the centre of an international aid operation as they flee IS massacres.

“However, there has been increasing silence about the plight of tens of thousands of Christians who have been displaced, driven from cities and homelands, and who face a bleak future,” he went on.

“Despite appalling persecution, they seem to have fallen from consciousness, and I wonder why.

“Does your Government have a coherent response to the plight of these huge numbers of Christians whose plight appears to be less regarded than that of others? Or are we simply reacting to the loudest media voice at any particular time?”

Decrying the lack of response to repeated appeals for asylum provision to be made for Christians, and other minorities, he said that in contrast to France and Germany there had “so far been only silence from the UK Government”.

House of Lords questions on the subject tabled by the Bishop of Coventry remain unanswered, he said, “something that causes me and colleagues some concern”.

“Underlying these concerns is the need for reassurance that a commitment to religious freedom will remain a priority for the Government, given the departure of ministers who championed this.

“Will the Foreign Secretary’s Human Rights Advisory Panel continue under the new Foreign Secretary?

“Is this not the time to appoint an Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom - which would demonstrate the Government’s serious commitment to developing an overarching strategy (backed by expertise) against Islamist extremism and violence?”