The Bishop of London has broken down in tears after describing the treatment of some women in the Church of England.

Rt Rev Dame Sarah Mullally was addressing members of the General Synod about the make-up of the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), the body in charge of appointing the next Archbishop of Canterbury. Calling for more women to be part of the CNC, she said:

“I would love to trust people to do the right thing but the truth is that women continue to be underrepresented…

“I would love to encourage women, which I do all the time, but there continues to be institutional barriers, we continue to experience micro-aggressions.”

The bishop who had tried to fight back the tears, was then overcome with emotion and turned away from the podium. She was met with applause from Synod members, with some giving her a standing ovation. 

The Archbishop of York Most Rev Stephen Cottrell stood to give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

The 62 year old, who is the most senior women in the Church of England turned back to the members and gestured to them to sit down saying :

“You're using up my time! And people will say that I have manipulated you, I have not…

“'We have said we want to hear the voices of women.

“I challenge you: don't just say it, don't just wear the blue ribbon, but do something about it.”

Bishop Mullally had earlier described how women were under-represented in many stages of the appointments process for selecting bishops:

“Women's voices continue not to be heard, not just on the CNC but also in other places… 

“I believe that most dioceses have 50 per cent men, 50 per cent women. Why are we not ensuring that our members from the Vacancy in See (the diocese which has a vacancy for a bishop) in the CNC, are 50 per cent men, 50 per cent women?”

Last month the Chair of Women and the Church (WATCH) Rev Martine Oborne told Premier that the culture in the Church of England sometimes made it difficult for women to make their voices heard. She said they risk being ‘gas-lit’ if they complain.