His son, Tim Welby, has now said his father was “right to resign” and his position “became untenable, simply because so many people were calling for his resignation”. Mr Welby told The Mirror that his father was “definitely very embarrassed and appalled by what’s happened”.

John Smyth, a barrister who ran Christian summer camps in the 1970s and 1980s, committed physical, psychological and sexual abuse against more than 100 boys and young men.

Mark Stibbe, who was abused by John Smyth QC in the 1980s, called for all senior clergy ‘that did nothing but knew what was going on’ to stand down.