Bishop of Leeds issues statement after Archbishop of Canterbury resigns
The Right Reverend Nick Baines has spoken out - after Justin Welby quit earlier today
Last updated 12th Nov 2024
The Bishop of Leeds has issued a statement on an abuse scandal which has engulfed the Church of England.
Earlier, The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby announced he will resign, following days of pressure after a damning review into how the church dealt with allegations against a serial abuser.
The independent Makin Review concluded that barrister John Smyth might have been brought to justice had the archbishop formally alerted authorities in 2013.
Mr Welby had apologised but stated that he would not resign, following the review's publication last week.
But in a statement on Tuesday, he said: "Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury.
"The Makin Review has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth.
"When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow.
"It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024."
The Right Reverend Nick Baines said: “I respect the decision by the Archbishop of Canterbury to resign his office."
"In doing so, he takes personal and institutional responsibility for the Church of England’s failures in relation to safeguarding. The Makin review made for very sobering reading.
"My concern now is to ensure that safeguarding practice in the Diocese of Leeds is the best it can be and that we improve where we lack.
"The focus in all of this must be the support of survivors of abuse. They remain in my prayers, as do the Archbishop and his family.”