AN ONLINE petition calling for an independent review of safeguarding and governance in the diocese of London speaks of “serious and ongoing safeguarding and governance failures” in the diocese, “which have caused deep harm to survivors, clergy, and laity, and continue to erode trust in the Church’s witness”.
It was launched last month by Emma Ash, a former pastoral assistant in the diocese. She has reported experiencing “spiritual and emotional abuse” and alleges that, when she reported it, “the system minimised her concerns, reframed her experience, and ultimately shut her down.” She was told that she had “misunderstood what happened”.
Michelle Burns, a former London diocesan safeguarding adviser (DSA) and founder of Guarding the Flock, a safeguarding consultancy, has written a series of blogs documenting her concerns about the Church’s practice. In it, she describes safeguarding and church leadership as “so thwarted” that it ceased to function as a source of guidance or care.
“Instead, it was weaponised, turned into a tool of control that scrutinised with suspicion those who most needed understanding and support. The very structures meant to protect became instruments of harm.”
Speaking to Channel 4 News on Wednesday, Ms Burns, who joined the diocesan safeguarding team in 2022, said: “We didn’t talk to each other. Emails were ignored by other colleagues. Management was domineering and kind of brutish, I would say. . . When I raised my voice and raised concerns, I became very quickly isolated from the rest of the team.”
She had been forced to sign a confidentiality agreement on leaving her post, she said: “In speaking out, I’m taking a risk professionally, and legally.”
On Tuesday, Channel 4 revisited the case of Fr Alan Griffin, an Ordinariate priest in the diocese of Westminster who had formerly served as a priest in London diocese and whose suicide prompted a coroner to issue a Prevention of Future Deaths report (News, 27 August 2021). The diocese of London admitted to a catalogue of errors, and a “lessons-learned review” by Chris Robson, was commissioned. This criticised failings among the diocese’s senior leadership, including a “lack of direction”.
The Vicar of St James’s, West Hampstead, the Revd Robert Thompson, who is a General Synod member, told Channel 4 News on Wednesday: “I think the entire diocese has blood on its hands. When Sarah presided at the eucharist, I felt that the blood of Alan Griffin was on her hands. But the blood of Alan Griffin is on her hands and all of our hands, because all of us need to take responsibility for the culture of safeguarding within the diocese — not just the individuals at the top, but all of us.”
He called on Bishop Mullally to “put a halt on becoming Archbishop of Canterbury, because it will, I think, destroy the mission of the Church. . . The reality is Sarah’s safeguarding failings within the diocese are worse than Justin’s.”
In a statement responding to the Channel 4 programmes, Bishop Mullally repeated the apology made to Fr Alan’s family and friends. “Ever since I became Bishop of London in 2018, and before, I have spoken publicly about the clear need for independent scrutiny of safeguarding across the Church of England.”
Mr Robson’s recommendations, she said, had been “vital . . . in driving forward change across the diocese of London. That change has been embedded in the Diocesan Safeguarding Team today, as has the need for continuous safeguarding improvement and culture change.
“Nevertheless, I understand why now, as I prepare to become Archbishop of Canterbury, there will be renewed scrutiny of past cases, and especially my role. As I said when [I was] announced as the next Archbishop on the 3rd October 2025, we must all be willing to have light shone on our actions, regardless of our role in the Church.
“I continue to be determined to improve safeguarding across the Church of England. In this diocese, as part of an ongoing programme across all dioceses, we have recently undergone an independent safeguarding audit by INEQE. We will want to use its findings and recommendations, which will be made public, to build on the progress made to date.”
The diocese said that Ms Burns had left her post “by mutual agreement”, and that her departure had been mediated through ACAS. “Michelle remains free to make any disclosure under the diocese of London’s whistleblowing policy. Michelle has not done so to date, and did not while an employee. However, her allegations have been provided in full to INEQE.”
