‘Justin Welby is a destructive Left-wing liability’

Telegraph readers weigh in on the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury has resigned following criticism of his failure to prevent child sex abuse.
His resignation follows a highly critical Church of England report that found the Most Rev Justin Welby did not properly deal with allegations of physical and sexual abuse by Barrister John Smyth, who abused 115 children and young men in Christian youth camps.
Prior to the resignation, an exclusive poll conducted by The Telegraph showed 93 per cent of over 58,000 readers called for the Archbishop to quit.
In light of the news, Jules Forrest was happy to see Most Rev Justin Welby step down.
Mrs Forrest said: “God has spoken. Can we now repair God’s house after the destruction Welby and his predecessor wrought on it? I hope the victims of that demon Smyth feel some vindication, but I fear it’s too little too late.”
Reader Cassandra Blackley didn’t think his resignation was enough: “Through his failure to act, he has enabled and de-facto colluded with a prolific sadistic man.
“If a school headteacher had failed in the same way, they would be banned from working in education, potentially face criminal charges for professional misconduct and breach of trust and could lose their pension if found guilty. Why is he being allowed to simply resign?”
Jane Mary de Woolfson added: “The stubborn man has trashed his reputation and legacy by not immediately resigning. His morality is seriously in doubt.”
Justin Welby was formally alerted to the claims about the abuse committed by John Smyth in 2013. But he failed to follow up and ensure the police investigated them.
Many Telegraph readers took exception to the explanation he gave to Channel 4 for why he had not.
He told news anchor Cathy Newman: “I genuinely had no idea that there was anything as horrific as this going on”.
Reader Rebecca Turner said: “He didn’t know it was ‘so serious’. One would have assumed that all abuse of children was ‘serious’ enough to act?”
John Bowes highlighted Mr Welby’s word choice: “Notice his language, he did not know anything ‘as horrific was going on’. Or, put another way, ‘I knew something was going on, and choose to do nothing.’”
An anonymous reader, who was bewildered by Mr Welby downplaying the serious allegations made to him, argued: “He was ‘unaware ‘of the severity of the crimes’. Pardon? This was child abuse.
“There is no severity threshold by which it suddenly becomes a heinous crime, it’s child abuse for goodness sake. By that logic would he also ignore a serial murderer if he was unaware of the barbarity of the killings?”
In 2018 John Smyth was investigated by Hampshire police but died in the same year. Mr Welby’s failure to report him in 2013 meant Smyth was never brought to justice.
William Taylor laments the awful consequence of the inaction, which he says “enabled this man to commit more crimes. Simple facts which he seems unable to grasp”.
Paul Stanfield finds it incomprehensible that Welby failed to understand the need to investigate the allegations against Smyth.
As a member of the Church of England he explains: “I have just redone Church of England Safeguarding online training. It is quite clear that a concern should lead to action. The Archbishop who unwisely meddles in politics has paid no heed to the Church’s own safeguarding principles.”
Some readers, such as A.D. criticise Welby’s use of his position as the head of the Church to act as a political pressure group.
“He has been the head of the Church of Woke for more than a decade – destructive Left-wing liability ruining the country instead of doing his day job and chipping in with Left-wing politics when nobody asked his views,” he said.
Following Mr Welby setting up for the Church of England a £100 million fund to “address past wrongs of slavery”, Mandy B. criticised this moral grandstanding and proposed that the Church address its more recent failings: “I would also suggest that instead of opining about ‘reparations’ for slavery, the next incumbent looks at compensation for those poor boys who were abused”.
Finally reader David J. concluded: “This is a man who has no moral compass whatsoever — he has presided over the debasement of the Church of England and emptying out of his churches throughout the land. He deserves the humiliation and ignominy that is surely coming.”
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