Archbishop of York vows to improve church safeguarding following shock Justin Welby resignation

Stephen Cottrell’s name has been in the mix of possible successors to Welby, who resigned on Tuesday after a review said prolific child abuser John Smyth could have been brought to justice had Welby alerted authorities in 2013.

Cottrell, who has held the post of Archbishop of York since 2020, called Welby’s resignation “the right and honourable thing to do” following the publication of the Makin review.

But he later told the Yorkshire Post he believes Welby stepping down could leave some church members “shaken and uncertain.”

Archbishop Cottrell said: “I appreciate this will leave some clergy and members of the Church of England shaken and uncertain – both by the things the Review laid bare and more widely.

“However, over the last 10 years or so, we have already seen a huge overhaul of our day to day safeguarding work which is played out in our parishes and chaplaincies.

“We need to continue the journey of enhancing our provision, dealing with the challenges that the Makin review offers, ensuring those who have questions to answer are appropriately held to account and continuing our commitment to fully take account of the needs and experiences of victims and survivors.”

Asked what he would do personally to ensure safeguarding in the CoE is improved, he said: “Much progress has already been made over the last 10 years, but there is more to do as we listen carefully and take account of the needs and experiences of victims and survivors. Indeed part of the legacy that Archbishop Justin will leave the church with is his own championing of this work.

“I for one am wholly committed to doing all I can to bring about the greater independence of safeguarding we need to ensure these failings never happen again.”

The resignation sent shockwaves both through the Church of England and the nation, and is believed to be the first time an Archbishop of Canterbury has resigned due to scandal.

Archbishop Cottrell’s name has circulated in media reports of potential contenders for the next Archbishop of Canterbury, along with the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullaly, or the Bishop of Chelmsford Guli Francis-Dehqani.

Should Mullaly or Francis-Dehqani be selected through the CoE’s rigorous process, they would become the first woman Archbishop in the near 1500 year history of the post.