Trigger Warning: This page contains material that some readers may find distressing.

To: 

The Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of York
The House of Bishops
The General Synod of the Church of England

The Issue

Safeguarding in the Church of England is in crisis. Leadership accountability can no longer be deferred.

We are calling for the immediate resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Sustained national media reporting has exposed serious and unresolved safeguarding failures linked to the Archbishop of Canterbury and to senior leadership within the Church of England. While some of these failures arose during her tenure as Bishop of London, they remain unresolved and continue to carry ongoing consequences now that she holds the Church’s most senior office.

These are not historic matters; they are current concerns with present-day impact.

Survivors have spoken out. Whistle-blowers have raised the alarm. A priest has died.

Key Concerns

• The death of Father Alan Griffin, a priest whose tragic death has come to symbolise wider failures in care, safeguarding, and accountability within the Diocese of London during the Archbishop of Canterbury’s tenure as Bishop of London. In a Channel 4 News investigation, the Reverend Robert Thompson stated that “the entire diocese has blood on its hands.”
• The testimony of Michelle Burns, formerly of the London Diocese Safeguarding Team (reported by Channel 4 News), spoke publicly about the severe personal harm that she experienced after raising safeguarding concerns, and about signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) while working in safeguarding, despite warnings from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) against such practices. Michelle Burns warned, “More people will die. More people will become ill. And they’ve already got blood on their hands.”
• The testimony of “Survivor N,” reported by Premier Christian News, who has lodged a formal safeguarding complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) relating to actions taken by the current Archbishop of Canterbury during her tenure as the Bishop of London in the handling of an abuse allegation. Survivor N’s account highlights the damaging impact of the mishandling of safeguarding disclosures and the treatment of survivors once they come forward. This complaint has been documented by BBC News, BBC Sounds, Channel 4 News, Church Times, National Secular Society, Premier Christian News, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times, and Thinking Anglicans.

Why This Matters

Safeguarding failures are not abstract. They result in lasting trauma, broken trust, and, as we have now seen, the loss of life, with others put at risk.

These developments have also deepened concerns about whether survivor voices, including those affected by terrorism and institutional failure, are being heard with the seriousness and sensitivity that they deserve.

At such a moment, the Archbishop of Canterbury sends a devastating message to survivors, clergy, and the public: that safeguarding harm can be endured rather than confronted.

The Archbishop of Canterbury must command moral authority and confidence from survivors. That confidence has now been irreparably damaged.

What We Are Calling For

We call for one clear act of accountability: the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Linked Campaign

This petition is linked to The Inquiry campaign, which is calling for an Independent Inquiry into the Diocese of London.

Sources

The photo featured in this petition is by Roger Harris. This petition draws on publicly available information, including the Independent Learning Lessons Review by Chris Robson (commissioned by the Diocese of London and published in April 2024), publicly reported court proceedings relating to the case of Martin Sargeant, and investigative reporting by Channel 4 News. It also draws on reporting by BBC News, BBC Sounds, Church Times, National Secular Society, Premier Christian News, The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph, The Times, and Thinking Anglicans.