Tice's pushback against Church of England criticism wasn't political bareknuckle brawl we often see from Reform

Reform is usually happy to get into a punch-up over its policies. The mantra that "any publicity is good publicity" seemingly inked into the party playbook.

That may be why they seem reasonably relaxed about recent criticism of their migration plans by the Church of England.

Speaking on Tuesday, Nigel Farage delicately suggested that in recent years church leaders had been "out of touch with their own flock".

That, likely a not-so-subtle reference to the former head of the church Justin Welby - who made frequent interventions into the migration debate.

Follow live politics updates: Tice says archbishop's criticism is 'all wrong'

Farage's deputy Richard Tice did push back against comments made by the Archbishop of York to Sky News.

But this wasn't the political bareknuckle brawl we frequently see from this insurgent party.

Squaring up to a man of the cloth is perhaps not a good look when you're trying to win the votes of more moderate shire Tories.

It seems Reform isn't the only party turning a blind eye to criticism from the clergy though.

This weekend, Sir Keir Starmer appeared to toughen his language on migration again - posting online that "if you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back".

The issue for the prime minister is - as it stands - that just isn't true.

Recent data shows that for those crossing the Channel, the most likely outcome is that they will be approved for asylum and allowed to stay - following a period where their accommodation will be paid for by the public.

If you want a visual indication of this uncomfortable truth just look at the face of the education secretary as Sky's Trevor Phillips asked if she agreed with the argument of the government's own lawyers in court that the rights of asylum seekers in the Bell Hotel in Epping outweigh local concerns on this occasion.

It took a few attempts, but Bridget Phillipson eventually confirmed that she did.

Little wonder that some Labour big beasts are increasingly reaching the conclusion that if issues around rights are stopping action then perhaps those rights need looking at.

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The last week saw former foreign secretary Jack Straw join former home secretary David Blunkett in calling for a suspension of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Sir Keir Starmer's predecessor as director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald has also suggested new laws are needed to replace the Refugee Convention - another international agreement often cited in asylum cases.

All of this may prove too much for a prime minister who literally wrote the book on European human rights law.

Home Office sources are instead arguing that there are tentative signs that their current approach may be working, with August channel crossings lower than they have been in previous years.

If that trend continues, ministers may buy themselves some time - and some space from the attacks emanating from Reform.

If it doesn't, then the clamber for plan B will become more pronounced.