Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell faces mounting pressure over his handling of a sexual abuse case, as the Church of England grapples with a leadership crisis

The Church of England is in turmoil as Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell faces calls for his resignation over his handling of a historic sexual abuse case. Addressing the General Synod, Cottrell admitted, “I know mistakes have been made, and I know that I have made mistakes.”

Cottrell’s leadership has come under intense scrutiny after it was revealed that he allowed priest David Tudor to remain in post despite knowing that Tudor was barred from contact with children and had paid compensation to a sexual abuse victim. Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley, a vocal critic, declared that Cottrell was “the wrong person” to oversee desperately needed reforms within the Church, saying, “I do not think it’s appropriate for him to be in post.”

The Archbishop of York temporarily leads the Church following Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby’s resignation, which came after a damning report on the Church’s failure to act against prolific child abuser John Smyth. Cottrell’s own scandal has deepened the crisis, with some Synod members attempting to block him from speaking at the opening meeting—a vote that ultimately failed.

Bishop Hartley criticised what she called a culture of silence, saying many clergy fear speaking out. Victims and survivors of abuse, alongside multiple clergy members, have demanded urgent safeguarding reforms, which are now a key focus of this week’s Synod meetings.

While some church leaders defend Cottrell, others see his continued leadership as untenable. As pressure mounts, the question remains: can the Church survive another leadership scandal, or will Cottrell be forced to step aside?

THE GUARDIAN

A third of General Synod members refused to back Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, attempting to block his opening speech amid mounting calls for his resignation. Critics argue his failure to act on abuse allegations makes his position untenable.

Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley said Cottrell was “the wrong person” to lead reform, while others urged against “weaponising” the issue. Cottrell admitted “mistakes have been made” and pledged to rebuild trust.

His speech follows Archbishop Justin Welby’s resignation over a separate abuse scandal, leaving the Church of England in crisis. Cottrell acknowledged unprecedented scrutiny and said the Church must become “more accountable and transparent”.

With confidence in leadership deeply shaken, pressure is growing for radical change at the top of the Church.

THE TELEGRAPH

Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, faced a historic rebellion as a fifth of General Synod members voted to block his opening speech, marking the biggest challenge yet to his leadership. Critics, including Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley, have called for his resignation over bullying allegations and safeguarding failures.

Lay member Sam Margrave led the motion, arguing the Church could not “continue as if nothing is wrong.” While the vote fell short of a majority, 73 backed the move, 43 abstained, and protests were planned.

Cottrell, who replaced Justin Welby as interim leader, acknowledged trust had been broken but vowed to rebuild confidence. However, with tensions escalating, his position remains deeply uncertain as the Church of England grapples with an ongoing crisis.