Justin Welby Resigns as Archbishop of Canterbury Over Abuse Scandal Handling

The independent review into Church safeguarding failures led to Welby's resignation, with calls for further accountability within the Church of England.

• The Makin Review found that Justin Welby could have acted in 2013 to bring prolific abuser John Smyth to justice earlier, prompting widespread criticism of his leadership.
• Welby announced his resignation after consulting with senior colleagues and seeking permission from the King, citing a profound sense of shame over historic safeguarding failures.
• The Church of England's National Safeguarding Team is investigating the actions of at least 30 officials named in the review, including two who have been asked to step back from church activities.
• Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell is also facing calls to resign over his handling of a separate abuse case, raising further questions about leadership accountability within the Church.
• The process to select Welby's successor, overseen by the Crown Nominations Commission, has begun, with prominent figures like Dame Sarah Mullally and Dr. Guli Francis-Dehqani among potential candidates.

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