The bishop of Blackburn has said Church of England leaders have been "collectively silent" on the issue of grooming gangs, despite having local knowledge and hearing "rumours, stories and concerns".

Writing in The Church of England Newspaper, Bishop Rt Rev Philip North, reflected on Baroness Louise Casey's recent report, which found: authorities had "shied away from" addressing ethnicity in grooming gang investigations.

He admitted that, like many others, he had "said nothing", and asked: "Why did I so readily believe the voices that claimed that calling for an inquiry was a collusion with the far right?"

He acknowledged the tension Church leaders feel between addressing difficult issues and preserving important interfaith relationships.

Bishop North also addressed a perceived disconnect between the Church and working-class communities, warning, ignoring their concerns on topics like grooming, immigration and energy costs risks creating a political vacuum, saying: "We are either silent or actively at odds with the issues that most trouble working-class neighbourhoods."

He concluded by encouraging other church leaders to examine their own “fear-driven silence” and consider the Church's responsibility to listen and respond more courageously.