Ex-archbishop Welby says he would forgive serial abuser of 130 boys

Justin Welby, the former archbishop of Canterbury, has said he forgives a serial abuser at the centre of the scandal that led to his resignation as leader of the Church of England and spoke of feeling "profoundly ashamed" at his comments afterwards in the House of Lords, which had prompted amusement.

- Ben Quinn Harriet Sherwood

In his first interview since resigning last November, he also said he had "not really thought it through enough, to be honest" when he initially declined to resign.

Welby quit after an independent review found he should have taken more robust and speedier action over allegations of abuse against John Smyth. About 130 boys are believed to have been victims of Smyth, a powerful lawyer who died in 2018.