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Fortress Britain?

Fortress Britain?

Fortress Britain? Ethical approaches to immigration policy for a post–Brexit Britain, from a Christian perspective. (2018)

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Whatever your thoughts on Brexit, one thing is certain; it gives us a once in a lifetime opportunity to completely reassess our immigration policy. Let’s make sure we do it soundly and ethically. 

A 2016 survey found that British people think that EU migrants make up 15% of the UK’s population, when in reality it is just 5%. This overestimation is reflective of continued media focus on the ‘issue’ of immigration and its prominence in the Brexit debate.

Although clearly a key concern in British society, the ethical implications of immigration are often over–looked. Edited by Theos’ Ben Ryan, this collection of short essays explores the ethical issues surrounding immigration and provokes intelligent discussion on how to establish a new immigration policy that is grounded in Christian theology. 

But why draw from Christian ethics? 

41% of the British–born population call themselves Christian. Significantly, just under 50% of the non–UK–born population also identify as Christian. Migrants in the UK are also three times more likely than natives to pray daily or attend religious services. Editor Ben Ryan argues that an ethical model taken from this shared faith would connect the identities of both migrant communities and British natives, and provide ‘an excellent source on which to build.’ 

With contributions from across the Christian and political spectrums, including Anna Rowlands, Girma Mohammed, Adrian Pabst and Susanna Snyder, Fortress Britain? challenges thinking around one of the UK’s most complex issues, and invites policy–makers and politicians to consider Christian theology as a basis for a new and effective immigration policy. 


Fortress Britain? Ethical Approaches to Immigration Policy for a Post–Brexit Britain (19th April 2018) is published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 

Order your copy here, £16.99.

For press copies or author interviews, please contact lily.bowden@jkp.com / 020 7833 2307.

 Image by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Ben Ryan

Ben Ryan

Ben Ryan is Home Affairs Adviser at Church of England. He was Head of Research at Theos until late 2019. He is the editor of Fortress Britain? Ethical Approaches to Immigration Policy for a Post–Brexit Britain (JKP 2018) and the author of Theos reports on chaplaincy, the EU, the Catholic charity sector, mental health and ecumenism.

Watch, listen to or read more from Ben Ryan

Brexit, Christianity, Ethics, Immigration

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