The former Archbishop of Canterbury has said migrant children from Calais to Britain is "a matter of living up to our best selves".
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Rowan Williams spoke about his preparations for welcoming 14 migrant children from the Calais Jungle who will be reunited with their families in the UK.
He said about 100 young people would be making their way to the UK this week as the French Government prepares to demolish the refugee camp.
The children are arriving as EU regulation allows them to seek asylum in the UK because they already have relatives here.
Dr Williams responded to critics claiming it is France's responsibility to look after the children after making the case for why Britain should get involved.
"I think because we can offer secure environments for these children," he said. "We can offer, whether it's short term or longer term, a place of safety, a place of security for deeply traumatised and deeply needy people.
"And I'm afraid I think that is just a basic moral imperative for us to step up to.
"I think as a country we have an extraordinarily good record of welcome for refugees and people in this kind of trouble and I think it's a matter of living up to our best selves in this country."
Dr Williams then downplayed France's ability to take on the children.
He continued: "France doesn't have quite the same record. What we're looking at is a situation where people are seeking to come to this country, where we know we can cope with the numbers that are predicted to come.
"And as I say, we have a good record and that's why we're attractive to refugees."
The comments come after singer Lily Allen was slammed for apologising to child refugees on behalf of the UK while visiting them in the Calais Jungle.
Tory MP Philip Davies hit back and said: "Perhaps Lily Allen might have asked them why would it be so terrible for them to claim asylum in France and live in France which is a perfectly civilised and safe country, and why they are so desperate to get to England."
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