THE new leader of Catholics in England and Wales has branded comments by billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe on immigration as “deeply unhelpful” and spoken out against housing asylum-seekers in military accommodation.

Archbishop-elect Richard Moth, who will be formally installed as the 12th Archbishop of Westminster on Saturday, said he was “deeply saddened” by Sir Jim’s claim that Britain had been “colonised” by migrants.

The Manchester United co-owner has since issued a non-apology if his language “offended some people.”

Archbishop-elect Moth said such language “paints with too broad a brush, and at the end of this is a human person.”

While acknowledging “the prime task of any government is the protection of its borders,” he criticised the approach to housing asylum-seekers.

The Labour government plans to end hotel use by opting for basic accommodation, including military sites.

Archbishop-elect Moth said: “I don’t think using badly heated and bad condition army temporary accommodation and training camps is good either.

“There needs to be discussion about how we can best respond to the needs of these people.”

He replaces the retiring Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who held the role for 16 years.