JUSTIN Welby’s future as Archbishop of Canterbury is hanging by a thread after the Prime Minister refused to back him in an abuse row.
The religious leader is facing huge pressure to resign after a probe revealed he had “some knowledge” of the concerns about John Smyth dating back to the 1980s.
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An independent review found barrister Smyth subjected his victims to physical, sexual and psychological abuse against schoolboys at holiday camps.
The Prime Minister, travelling to the COP climate conference in Azerbaijan, last night said: “That’s a matter really for the church rather than for me”.
Welby faces pressure to quit after an independent report blasted the Church of England for failing to stop John Smyth’s assaults on 130 boys over 40 years.
A review by Keith Makin found it was most probable that Welby would have known that Smyth was of some concern.
Figures in the Church have rounded on Welby and calling on him to walk away from the job he’s held since 2013.
Helen-Ann-Hartley, the Bishop of Newcastle, today said the organisation was “in danger of losing complete credibility” on safeguarding adding: “I think, sadly, his position is untenable, so I think he should resign.”
She said: “It’s very hard to find the words to respond adequately to what the report tells us.
“I think rightly people are asking the question: ‘Can we really trust the Church of England to keep us safe?’ And I think the answer at the moment is ‘no’.”
She also insisted it was hard for the organisation to have a “moral voice” when it couldn’t get its own house in order.
The Bishop said: “We are in danger of losing complete credibility on that front.”
Speaking to the BBC, she added: “I think, sadly, his position is untenable, so I think he should resign.”
Radio presenter, the Rev Richard Coles, said: “Anyone in authority who knew about an abuser and did not act properly so that abuse continued should resign.
Giles Fraser, vicar of St Anne’s in Kew, west London, described it as a “terrible situation”.
He said: “ There’s a petition going round now, which many people are signing and this is from all parts of the church.
“I’m afraid he’s really lost the confidence of his clergy, he’s lost the confidence of many of his bishops and his position is completely untenable.”
Following the release of the report, Welby said he had given resignation “a lot of thought” for a long time but has so far ruled out leaving his role at Lambeth Palace.
A review found that Smyth may have been brought to justice a decade ago if the Archbishop had reported it to cops.
Smyth is understood to have subjected his victims to traumatic physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks.
But Smyth died in Cape Town back in 2008 while Hampshire Police was investigating with the probe saying he was “never bought to justice for the abuse”.
A Lambeth Palace spokesman said: “The Archbishop reiterates his horror at the scale of John Smyth’s egregious abuse, as reflected in his public apology.
“He has apologised profoundly both for his own failures and omissions, and for the wickedness, concealment, and abuse by the church more widely.
“As he has said, he had no awareness or suspicion of the allegations before he was told in 2013 – and therefore having reflected, he does not intend to resign.
“He hopes the Makin Review supports the ongoing work of building a safer church here and around the world.”
