Church of England to increase oversight of abuse complaints – but safeguarding won’t be fully independent
The Church of England has voted to increase oversight of safeguarding measures – but stopped short of creating an independent body.
Members of the General Synod, the Church’s parliament, voted for the new measures for handling abuse allegations as it tries to restore trust among survivors after multiple scandals.
The motion was passed with 392 votes in its favour. Nine people voted against it – and there were six abstentions.
The five-day meeting of the Synod is the first since Justin Welby resigned as Archbishop of Canterbury amid condemnation over safeguarding failures.
Justin Welby resigned as Archbishop of Canterbury last year. Pic: Neil Turner/Lambeth Palace/PA Wire
He stood down in November after a report said he could and should have done more in the case of paedophile John Smyth – who for years sexually and physically abused more than 120 boys and young men.
The Bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, has also just announced his retirement after accusations of sexual assault and harassment were made by two women – one a bishop. He denies any wrongdoing.
Survivors dismiss vote as ‘fudge’
‘High noon at Synod’ – as one contributor called it – came and went with the Church of England unwilling to grasp a total overhaul of its safeguarding policies.
There will be significant change over safeguarding. But even after repeated abuse scandals – including one which cost the job of the Archbishop of Canterbury who was forced to resign in disgrace – there still wasn’t a will to for the most far-reaching plan on the table.
Members of the General Synod – the church’s parliament – debated various models and argued over amendments. In the end it voted for what survivors of abuse called a ‘fudge’.
Repeatedly speakers at the Church’s parliament talked of the need to rebuild trust.
But there was confliction; division and suspicion over how that is done.
And there are clearly serious doubts about handing all safeguarding responsibility to an external body straight away.
Those who work with survivors believe this Synod wasted its opportunity. Bishops, clergy and laity also went against the recommendation of the most senior figures in the Church.
Perhaps all options miss the point that the Church needs an immediate culture change from within over safeguarding.
Is this vote about the practical ways to best implement safeguarding? Or does the ‘fudge’ vote mean the Church of England thinks it is above complete independent management and scrutiny?
The Bishop of Newcastle has told Sky News that she’s “furious” with the Synod’s decision.
One survivor, Will Harwood – vicar of St John the Evangelist’s Church in Truro – told Sky News he’s “concerned this seems like a fudge.”
“At the top end of the Church, there are people who don’t believe that they need to do more.
“There is a real danger that people think they are doing everything they can. Unfortunately – survivors of abuse don’t think that.
“They don’t feel like they’re being heard, and they will come away from today feeling let down. “
Abuse survivor Craig Freedman (right) outside Church House in London, where the vote took place. Pic: Aine Fox/PA Wire
Andrew Graystone, an advocate for abuse survivors, said today’s vote signalled the Church had decided to “keep it in the family”.
He said: “If you are abused by a vicar, you will still be expected to report it to a bishop.
“Safeguarding staff will still be located in church offices, employed by the very same bishop.
“The Church of England had an opportunity to start to rebuild trust, by admitting that it needed expertise from outside.
“But instead they have chosen to keep it in the family.
“Shocking arrogance, and a punch in the gut for victims and survivors of abuse.”
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Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.
It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.
However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.
Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.
The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.
But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.
“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”
Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.
He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.
Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”
Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.
Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.
Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.
It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.
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Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
Read more:
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Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform
Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
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