Church of England Bishops have called on the British government to offer asylum to Christians fleeing Islamist extremists in northern Iraq, saying that from the UK has a “moral duty” to take them in, because of its role in the 2003 invasion which was followed by years of instability in the country leading up to the current Islamist insurgency.

The bishop of Manchester, the Right Rev David Walker, told the Observer: “We would be failing to fulfil our obligations were we not to offer sanctuary. Having intervened so recently and extensively in Iraq, we have, even more than other countries, a moral duty in the UK.

“Given the vast amounts of money that we spent on the war in Iraq, the tiny cost of bringing some people fleeing for their lives to this country and allowing them to settle – and who, in due course, would be an asset to our society – would seem to be minuscule.”

Before the allied invasion, there were thought to be around a million Christians in Iraq. About three-quarters left amid sectarian violence and attacks by jihadists. A decade ago an estimated 60,000 Christians lived in Mosul, a number that had fallen to about 35,000 according to The Guardian when Isis took over the city in June. The final members of its Christian community – one of the world’s most ancient – fled last month.

The Right Rev Dr John Inge, bishop of Worcester, said: “I would be very disturbed if the government refused to do anything. The situation in Iraq is absolutely horrendous. It would sit very ill at ease with our values if nothing were to be offered. I am disappointed nothing has transpired so far.”

The bishop of Leeds, the Right Rev Nick Baines, said: “We have a tradition of offering sanctuary to people who are oppressed, and it’s part of the Christian heritage of this country and the law we have established that puts an obligation on us. We also have an obligation to at least raise with the government the possibility that we should be offering sanctuary to Christians in Iraq who have been effectively expelled under the threat of death.”

Their calls follow an announcement by the French government that they would grant asylum to Christians in Northern Iraq. French soldiers did not take part in the invasion of Iraq.

“We are providing aid to displaced people fleeing from the threats of Islamic State and who have sought refuge in Kurdistan. We are ready, if they wish, to facilitate their asylum on our soil,” France’s foreign and interior ministers said in a joint statement.

“We are in constant contact with local and national authorities to ensure everything is done to protect them.”

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops of England & Wales have called for a Day of Prayer in support of persecuted Christians in Iraq.