Safeguarding in ‘crisis’ in Church of England, says archbishop of York

Asked what Jesus would think of the debacle, Cottrell said: ‘I imagine he weeps over this situation.’ Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

The archbishop of York has said there is a “crisis of safeguarding” within the Church of England after its executive disbanded an independent body on abuse.

Stephen Cottrell told the C of E’s ruling body, the General Synod, on Sunday that “mistakes have been made” and that Jesus would be weeping at the events of recent weeks. “We recognise things have gone wrong,” he said. “This is a watershed moment for us. We can’t get this wrong again.”