In a sharp rebuke to Pope Francis, former UK Conservative politician Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has suggested that the Vatican should accommodate migrants if the pontiff is so concerned about their plight.
Speaking on GB News on August 28, Rees-Mogg delivered what has been described as a “withering put down” of the Pope’s recent comments on the migrant crisis.
“If the Holy Father wants them so much, he can have them in the Vatican.
“The Holy Father runs a sovereign state” said Rees-Mogg.
The former UK Conservative Party Cabinet minister’s remarks came in response to Pope Francis’s strong criticism of those who reject migrants, calling it a “grave sin” not to offer aid to those in distress.
Rees-Mogg further argued that the migrants “are safe in France”, implying that their journey to the UK was unnecessary.
Recently, Francis strongly criticised the treatment of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to enter Europe, saying it was a “grave sin” not to offer aid to vessels.
Rees-Mogg’s comments come amid a surge in Channel crossings, with over 20,000 migrants having made the perilous journey to the UK this year alone.
On a single day last week, 526 people arrived illegally in UK waters in eight dinghies.
Maritime security sources suggest the UK is on track to exceed the 29,000 arrivals recorded in 2023 significantly.
The debate over migration policy has intensified following a tragic incident on September 3, when an overcrowded migrant boat capsized in the English Channel resulting in at least 12 fatalities.
While most crossings in 2015 were made by truck through the channel tunnel, sea crossings have surged since the port was secured.
From 2020 onwards, the market exploded. The number of shipwrecks also increased. “The boats are always overloaded; I even had one guy tell me he made the entire crossing clinging to the side of the boat, taking turns with others” said one commentator.
Rees-Mogg is known for his staunch pro-life stance. He is a traditional Catholic and attends Latin Mass.
His considerable personal wealth, estimated to be in excess of £100 million, has resulted in his facing criticism in the past for being out of touch with the concerns of ordinary people.