Church of England's criticism encountering resistance from Tice differs from the usual political fisticuffs typical in Reform movements

In recent news, two political parties - Reform UK and Labour - seem to be facing criticism from the Church of England over their migration policies. This article aims to explore the interconnected topics of migration, Reform UK, Labour, and the Church of England.

The interaction between Reform UK and the Archbishop of York was not a political bareknuckle brawl, as some may have perceived. The Archbishop of York made comments critical of Reform UK's migration policies on a website, to which Richard Tice, deputy of Reform UK, pushed back. However, Reform UK appears unfazed by the criticism, continuing to stand by their migration plans.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, has toughened his language on migration once more, stating online that "if you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back." This comes as the Home Office argues that there are tentative signs that their current approach may be working, with August channel crossings lower than they have been in previous years.

The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has confirmed her agreement with the government's own lawyers in court that the rights of asylum seekers in the Bell Hotel in Epping outweigh local concerns. This stance has been met with increasing agreement from some Labour big beasts, who are questioning whether certain rights need re-evaluation if they are hindering action.

Lord Macdonald, Sir Keir Starmer's predecessor as director of public prosecutions, has suggested new laws are needed to replace the Refugee Convention. This call for change comes as former foreign secretary Jack Straw and former home secretary David Blunkett have also advocated for a suspension of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Interestingly, the political party that has most recently proposed the abolition of the European Convention on Human Rights is the UK Conservative Party, with former UK Prime Minister Theresa May advocating for freeing the UK from the influence of the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights in 2016.

As the trend of lower channel crossings continues, ministers may buy themselves some time and space from the attacks emanating from Reform. However, if the trend does not continue, the clamber for a plan B will become more pronounced.

In a related turn of events, Nigel Farage subtly criticized former Church head Justin Welby in his speech. The ongoing discourse surrounding migration, politics, and the Church of England promises to remain a key topic in the British political landscape.