In his first sit-down interview since resigning as Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby has confirmed that multiple members of the Church of England are under investigation relating to abuse by the late John Smyth.
Speaking to the BBC, Welby claimed he first learned of Smyth’s abuse in August 2013, saying: “I’d been in post 11 weeks. Safeguarding has been the crisis I didn’t foresee. I didn’t realise how bad it was.”
Years before becoming a Bishop, Welby was a youth leader at the Iwerne camps where Smyth conducted his abuse. He asserts that he was not aware of the abuse whilst serving at the camps.
He told the BBC that upon being presented with allegations against Smyth in 2013: “I was not sufficiently pushy in a way that I would have been a few years later.”
When asked how many people in the CofE had known about Smyth’s abuse, the former Archbishop said: “What I know is that the national safeguarding team about three weeks ago issued a statement… which said that there were… roughly a dozen being taken through the disciplinary process.
“A lot have died, but there are a dozen going through a [clerical disciplinary measure], and, incidentally, at that time, they said they hadn’t discovered anything that I’d done or not done, omitted to do, which would warrant [one for myself]."
“I still feel responsible, but that’s a different question," said Welby.
In February, the National Safeguarding Team concluded its review of the church members named in the Makin Review.
Subsequently, it will bring Clergy Discipline Measure proceedings against Bishop Paul Butler and former Archbishop George Carey, as well as Revds Roger Combes, Sue Colman, Andrew Cornes, Tim Hastie-Smith, Hugh Palmer, Paul Perkin, Nick Stott and John Woolmer.
The NST said: "There are two priests criticised in the report whose actions have not yet been reviewed as they are subject to other live, ongoing, processes. Once these have concluded, they will be reviewed following the 4-stage process.
"Victims and survivors and all those criticised in the Makin review have been informed and support offered."
At the February 2025 General Synod, members voted to reform the Clergy Discipline Measure into the Clergy Conduct Measure (CCM). The changes are currently awaiting parliamentary voting and Royal Assent - but will not take effect until at least 2026.