A split appeared to open up in government last night over whether or not to wage war against the Archbishop of Canterbury. After party management left it to their 2019ers to wage war against the church following Justin Welby’s condemnation of Priti’s Rwanda plan, at 7pm last night Michael Gove used a speech at a Tories in Comms drinks reception to try calming the storm:

“As the example of Henry II shows, it’s never a good idea to go to war with Archbishops.”

Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest…

Unfortunately for Gove, no sooner had he suggested avoiding a bloody conflict with the Church, Boris got up at the 1922 committee an hour later and, according to Newsnight, slammed God’s representative on earth over his condemnation of Rwanda:

“These senior members of the clergy have not been as critical of Vladamir Putin as they have been of Priti Patel’s plan”

Presumably Tory MPs will be hoping the Archbishop will soon kick the Beckett…