Justin Welby’s place in House of Lords ‘untenable’ after resignation

Justin Welby must be stripped of his right to sit in the House of Lords after his resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury, Reform deputy leader Richard Tice has said.

And the MP for Boston and Skegness also revealed that he himself had attended a summer camp run by John Smyth QC, whose abuse of children in his care Mr Welby failed to report, an oversight which yesterday forced him to quit as head of the Church of England.

Mr Welby, who is also the spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, quit after an investigation into his handling of the allegations. Mr Welby admitted failing to report Smyth’s abuse to authorities promptly when he first learned of it in 2013.

Speaking on GB News, Mr Tice said: “Obviously, Justin Welby has now resigned, and he’s put out a statement there.

“But I think he’s been an awful Archbishop of Canterbury. I think the worst in living memory, so for multiple reasons.

“But you know, this saga and these allegations are truly awful.”

It also transpired that Mr Tice had been at one of Smith’s camps in the late 1970s.

He explained: “Mum was always quite keen to farm me off in summer holidays. And so I was on the list of the attendance records, it transpires. And I was there definitely one summer, possibly two – it’s to 50 years ago so the memories a little bit.

“But I consider myself very lucky. I didn’t have any bad experiences, inappropriate experiences, but I was at that camp with John Smyth running it.”

Mr Tice – who also spoke on Talk TV about the matter – admitted that since the allegations had surfaced he had received a phone call asking if he had been affected.

He said: “I sort of consider myself very lucky. No, no, I wasn’t. These places, they were extension of boarding schools, and things were very different in those days.

“Many of us have been governors. We know that safeguarding is the number one issue. But it seems quite a moment to think, ‘Crikey, I was there’.

“But Justin Welby, quite rightly, has resigned and there are serious questions as to whether or not he can remain in the House of Lords. Frankly, I don’t see that he can. I think his position is untenable. I suspect people have left for less.

“And he’s also got other questions to answer – they are allegations. But obviously, he’s got questions. what did he know and when, in the 1980s?”

Acknowledging the failure in a resignation statement issued yesterday, Welby said: “It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024.

“I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honoured to serve.”

Welby’s resignation marks a significant moment for the Anglican Communion, which has over 85 million members globally.

The independent Makin Review, a 251-page report, concluded that Smyth had abused around 115 boys and young men in the UK and Africa from the 1970s until his death in 2018.

The investigation found that Welby was informed of the abuse in 2013 but, due to a miscommunication, did not ensure that the allegations were reported effectively. Had Welby acted, the abuse might have been stopped sooner, sparing further victims.

The scandal intensified when Welby’s reluctance to accept full responsibility sparked outrage, with victims and clergy members pushing for him to step down.

Speaking after the announcement, a Number 10 spokeswoman said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “respects the decision” of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Asked whether the Prime Minister had tried to get Justin Welby to reconsider his position after Sir Keir made clear that victims of John Smyth had been let down, she said: “No. We’re clear it’s a matter for the Church of England and the archbishop.

“I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honoured to serve.”

Welby’s resignation marks a significant moment for the Anglican Communion, which has over 85 million members globally.

The independent Makin Review, a 251-page report, concluded that Smyth had abused around 115 boys and young men in the UK and Africa from the 1970s until his death in 2018.

The investigation found that Welby was informed of the abuse in 2013 but, due to a miscommunication, did not ensure that the allegations were reported effectively. Had Welby acted, the abuse might have been stopped sooner, sparing further victims.

The scandal intensified when Welby’s reluctance to accept full responsibility sparked outrage, with victims and clergy members pushing for him to step down.

Speaking after the announcement, a Number 10 spokeswoman said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “respects the decision” of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Asked whether the Prime Minister had tried to get Justin Welby to reconsider his position after Sir Keir made clear that victims of John Smyth had been let down, she said: “No. We’re clear it’s a matter for the Church of England and the archbishop.