Justin Welby resigns as archbishop of Canterbury over abuse scandal

Welby announces he is stepping down after an independent report finds he failed to tell police about abuse allegations.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the most senior cleric in the Church of England, has announced his resignation, saying he had failed to ensure a proper investigation into allegations of physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps decades ago.

In his resignation letter on Tuesday, Welby said he must take “personal and institutional responsibility” for a lack of action on the “heinous abuses”.

“The last few days have renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England,” Welby said.

“I hope this decision makes clear how seriously the Church of England understands the need for change and our profound commitment to creating a safer church. As I step down I do so in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse,” he said.

Welby, 68, resigned five days after the independent Makin Report singled him out for criticism over his handling of abuse allegations dating back to the 1970s.