Home Secretary Suella Braverman has snubbed an invitation to meet the Archbishop of Canterbury over his concerns about her approach to immigration, according to reports.

The Most Rev Justin Welby is believed to have “reached out a number of times” with no luck, reports The House, Parliament’s magazine.

Mrs Braverman has been at the centre of the refugee debate this week following a series of controversial comments during a speech to a centre-right think tank in Washington DC on Tuesday.

One such comment that “simply being gay, or a woman” should not by itself be enough to gain protection under international refugee laws has sparked fury amongst LGBT supporters.

She followed up the contentious speech by making an appearance on GB News, predicting a “disintegration in our society” if action is not taken to curb the number of migrants arriving in Britain via small boats

A spokesman for the archbishop confirmed the approach to The House, saying: “The archbishop would be happy to meet the Home Secretary to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern.

“In the past, the archbishop has met other home secretaries. It is not unusual.”

Her comments indicate a refusal to back down on calls for international reforms of refugee rules — such as the United Nations’ Refugee Convention — despite facing backlash.

According to The Daily Telegraph, government sources said an informal approach for a meeting had been made and it is understood the archbishop had met immigration minister Robert Jenrick.

The archbishop and other bishops have been vocal critics of the government’s plan to send migrants to Rwanda and Welby previously condemned “harmful rhetoric” about refugees in a House of Lords speech.

The comments also have senior Tory MPs up in arms, with Chief Whip Simon Hart expected to speak with the Home Secretary to convey the upset in the Tory ranks according to The Times.

The UN’s refugee agency, hitting back at Mrs Braverman’s speech, has denied there is any need for reform or a relaxation of the definition of a refugee.

In the past week, the government has detected a total of five boats attempting to cross the Channel carrying 297 asylum seekers overall.