Labour piles pressure on Justin Welby as he faces calls to resign over sexual abuse scandal

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A senior Labour MP has intervened in the Justin Welby abuse row highlighting his “failure to act” as the party adds to the pressure piling on the Archbishop of Canterbury. open image in gallery A senior Labour MP has intervened in the Justin Welby abuse row as the party adds to the pressure piling on the Archbishop of Canterbury Downing Street announced last month that the appointment of Ms de Cordova as Second Church Estates Commissioner, the church’s representative in the Commons, had been approved by the King. “This case is a stark reminder that there is much more work for the Church of England to do to ensure it provides safe, open and transparent spaces for everyone in society.” Ms de Cordova’s comments come as a petition by some members of the General Synod – the church’s parliament – has now reached more than 5,000 signatures, urging Mr Welby to stand down over his “failures” to alert authorities about John Smyth QC’s “abhorrent” abuse of children and young men. After the petition was launched, Mr Welby’s spokesman said he “reiterates his horror at the scale of John Smyth’s egregious abuse, as reflected in his public apology”, repeated that he does not intend to resign, and said he “hopes the Makin Review supports the ongoing work of building a safer church here and around the world”.