The Church of England’s deputy presiding bishop for safeguarding has said that in some respects it is “not a safe institution” and some may have to resign following the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Bishop Julie Conalty of Birkenhead made the statement a day after a statement by Justin Welby, who has been Archbishop of Canterbury since 2013. He resigned after the report was published It was revealed that the church covered up the sexual abuse of John Smyth, a lawyer who ran Christian summer camps.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4 today, Ms Conalty said she could not guarantee that abuse did not continue in the Church.

“We still have an institutional problem because we don’t put victims and survivors at the center. In some ways, we are not a safe institution,” she said.

He added that he believed Mr Welby “did the right thing” but that his resignation “will not solve the problem”.

“It’s frustrating to me because in many ways we’re working really hard to make churches safer places. No institution, nothing can be completely safe, but there’s some really good work being done,” he said.

“This is about institutional changes, our culture and systemic failure, so there must be more we need to do.

“Others should probably go too. I’m not here to name names.”

It came after an independent review found Smyth, who molested up to 130 boys and young men at Christian summer camps, could have been brought to justice a decade ago if Mr Welby had reported him to authorities in 2013.

Smyth died aged 75 in Cape Town in 2018 while under investigation by Hampshire Police.

Mr Welby was under pressure to resign in the wake of the Makin Review; More than 1,500 members of the Church, including some of the General Synod committee, had signed an agreement. petition asking him to leave.

His resignation was welcomed by Smyth’s victims, senior figures in the Church of England and a cabinet minister.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the church’s second most senior figure, said Mr Welby was right to resign due to “institutional failings”.

Asked whether other bishops should resign, Mr Cottrell told the BBC: “Those who effectively covered this up (should resign), which were not the bishops.”

Read more:
Who is Justin Welby?
What happens now that he has resigned?

The only bishop openly calling for the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury is Dr. Helen-Ann Hartley said Mr Welby was “right” to resign but it did not solve the Church’s profound failure on safeguarding.

The Bishop of Newcastle said that while some progress had been made in changing the culture of safeguarding in the Church, “unfortunately the progress made by many is being undermined by the arrogance of a few”.

On Tuesday, Bishop of Stepney Joanne Grenfell told Sky News: Policy Center with Sophy Ridge He felt “deep shame and sadness” over the Church of England’s history of abuse.

The Church of England’s safeguarding leader said: “It’s really clear that we have failed by allowing this abuse to happen and allowing it to be covered up… It’s difficult, but I can’t imagine what it must feel like to be a woman victim or survivor of abuse.”

Richard Gittins, one of Smyth’s victims, also welcomed Mr Welby’s resignation.

“This shows that he’s now taking some action. And I think it also means that the focus can turn to other people who know about this who haven’t done anything about it,” he said.

Health Minister Wes Streeting said this morning that Mr Welby’s resignation was “absolutely the right decision”.

He added: “What I would say to other leaders of my church – and I speak as an Anglican, not as a government minister – is don’t think that one nod will solve the problem.

“There are deep and fundamental problems with conservation, not just in practice but also in culture, that need to be taken seriously.”

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Keep up with the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Tap here

What did the report find?

Makin Review said Smyth subjected boys and young men in the UK and Africa to traumatic physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks, leaving a permanent mark on their lives.

The abuse is said to have occurred over the course of fifty years.

The report concluded that Mr Welby could have been brought to justice if he had formally reported the situation to the police immediately after his appointment as archbishop 11 years ago.

Mr. Welby knew that Smyth had worked at some of the Christian summer camps he managed in the 1970s.

The Makin Review said there was no evidence that they “maintained any significant contact” after that.

Mr Welby said he had “no idea or suspicion of abuse” before 2013.