The Archbishop’s Easter sermon is the latest in a series of interventions by him over government policy.

In Sep 2020, he used a Telegraph article to denounce the Prime Minister for “determining the daily details of our lives” by imposing a “rule of six” on household mixing.

Last December, he said political leaders must “put their hands up” and “acknowledge where things have gone wrong”, as he spoke of his “disappointment” over gatherings in Downing Street during lockdown.

Gary Sambrook, the Tory MP for Birmingham Northfield, and another member of the Commons home affairs select committee, said: “Maybe if the Church spent more time talking about the power of God, the love of Jesus and the contribution churches make in communities around the country, rather than making political interventions, the Archbishop might find the pews might have more people sitting in them.”

A spokesman for Lambeth Palace declined to comment, but pointed to the Archbishop’s previous comments that the issues surrounding the asylum system are not “party political matters”, but instead “essential for justice” and the UK’s reputation.

‘Is it April 1 again? Can this be real?’

Elsewhere, the Archbishop of York told BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme: “The message of Easter is that stones are rolled away and barriers are broken down, and therefore it’s truly appalling and distressing. I’m appalled at what’s being proposed and I think we can do better than this.”

He added that the Government was “out of tune with British people” and those arriving on small boats are in “just as much need” as Ukrainians. 

“When it was announced, I think everyone was thinking: is it April 1 again? Can this be real?”