East Thanet MP Polly Billington has called for the Church of England to be bound by the same Freedom of Information rules as other public bodies in light of the damning Makin report.
The independent report, which resulted in the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby this week,reviewed the Church of England’s handling of allegations of abuse by the late John Smyth QC.
Commissioned by the Church’s National Safeguarding Team, the review was led by Keith Makin, with Sarah Lawrence assisting. The aim was to bring to light what the Church knew, or should have known, about allegations made against Smyth, evaluate its responses, and identify steps to help prevent similar abuses in the future.
The review found the CofE and Justin Welby had failed to act appropriately on reports of John Smyth’s abuse. Smyth was a barrister and lay preacher who ran summer camps for young Christians. The report accused him of physically and sexually assaulting up to 30 boys during the 1970s and 1980s.
Smyth moved to Zimbabwe in the 80s and then South Africa, where he is alleged to have abused a further 85 to 100 boys aged 13 to 17. He died in 2018.
Following publication of the report last week Keith Makin said: “The abuse at the hands of John Smyth was prolific and abhorrent. Words cannot adequately describe the horror of what transpired.
“Many of the victims who took the brave decision to speak to us about what they experienced have carried this abuse silently for more than 40 years.
“Despite the efforts of some individuals to bring the abuse to the attention of authorities, the responses by the Church of England and others were wholly ineffective and amounted to a coverup.
“The Church and its associated organisations must learn from this review and implement robust safeguarding procedures across their organisations that are governed independently.
“This has been a long process but a necessary one to uncover the extent of John Smyth’s despicable behaviour and how the Church reacted to it.
“I would like to sincerely thank the victims for their courage, grace and dignity and I would like to remind everyone reporting on this review about their right to anonymity and privacy.”
In Parliament yesterday {November 14) Ms Billington said: “The House will be aware of the appalling case of John Smyth, who subjected dozens of boys and young men to unimaginable abuse over decades.
“While the Archbishop of Canterbury has resigned over the matter, is it not time that the Church of England becomes more accountable and transparent? Will the Leader of the House raise with colleagues in the Cabinet Office how the Church of England can designate bishops, dioceses, cathedrals and national Church institutions as public authorities for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act?”
Following her call she said there was need to ‘usher in greater transparency.’
She said: “For many, the Church of England is a place of sanctuary, so it’s appalling that for the victims of John Smyth the Church was a place where abuse flourished.”
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives the public the right to request information from public authorities. Public authorities are also required to publish certain information about their activities.
Fair enough but make it apply across the board to all religions
I mean, I don’t disagree.
From the information commissioner;
We have issued a reprimand to the Labour Party for repeatedly failing to respond to people who asked what personal information the party held on them – known as a subject access request (SAR).
I hope you are asking the Labour Party to get their house in order, kicking someone when they are down is not a good look.
A good call by Polly and, yes, it should be applied to all religious and other groups that deal with young people and vulnerable people.
This said I’m very curious why this same Polly was silent when her Labour Councillor colleague in Hackney was convicted of having the worst category of child abuse images on his computer.
Hackney Mayor resigned over his lie about being at a party with this Councillor after being told about the case.
But Polly? She was asked frequently to comment about her position on safeguarding and remained silent! As we all know only too well, being silent when oppression and abuse takes place is never neutral, it sides with the perpetrator.
So Polly makes a statement in the House about the C of E. All very safe and far removed for her to speak out. Such a shame she said nothing when speaking out in Hackney might have made a difference.
And we still don’t know what relationship Polly had with this ex-Hackney Councillor, why did she choose to be silent?
Will Polly answer a FoI request on this?
She’s a bandwagon jumper.
Yep, likes to stand up and talk in the HoC, wants to be noticed . Has eyes on a bit of promotion within the corridors of power.
Pretty sure she has reached her limit, like Roger Gale, Craig Mackinlay etc. Has any Thanet MP ever been in a government cabinet?
Jonathan the crook was in government . I always voted for anyone but him even before it was known what he was like. Vote for the individual and not the party.
I voted for Steve Ladyman because of Aitken and then for Laura Sandys as I though her the better of the two candidates to represent Thant over party as they are elected to do.
I didn’t vote for parachute Polly with no skin in the game. Personally I think prospective MPs should be a resident foe a min 3years before being allowed to stand fie election as an MP or be a councillor foe 2 years first.
Ms Billingham had absolutely no relationship with th ex-Councillor. That’s probably why she had nothing to say.
Assuming what is said by GS is correct and she was a councillor at the same time as the other referred to, she must surely have had a much closer “relationship” to them than the Archbishop of Canterbury. All very easy to speak under parliamentary privelege and get your name in hansard again, but you’d hopemthat her firmly held beliefs would have extended to events on her doorstep at the time.
Why is is shocking? The church has been covering up abuse it’s entire history.
ALL churches and religions (probably). But that doesn’t mean religion is bad. I wouldn’t be in Birchington-on-Sea without God’s guidance!
A bit of a contradiction there!!
ain’t no hate like christian “love”.
I’m sure Islam is more your thing.
I delivered a package to a vicarage in the south east of England the woman who opened the door was completely naked she invited me in for a coffee she lead me into the kitchen where her husband was eating his bowl of cornflakes he was also naked we chatted about the world events and weather before I wished them well and resumed my day. Nothing untoward just a very nice naturist couple.
I think I know them.
The FoI process applies to public bodies … ie public funded institutions.
From that point of view, the CoE is no more a public body than, say, West Ham Football Club.
Those naturists are public funded bodies??? I guess they are in a way.
Ditto that Phyllis, Kent police have just told me to make a complaint against the RSPCA, after I found they failed to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, why? The RSPCA are a charity and not branch of the police, they are not a statutory body, they are not publicly accountable, and they are NOT legally obliged to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, and mostly don’t unless in an emergency and an animal is likely to die (according to a letter I have from the RSPCA) However, the police MUST enforce the law, which in this case they fail to do by fobbing the public off by telling them to contact the RSPCA if they suspect animal ill treatment, or a possible dangerous dog! I pointed out to the police its their job to enforce the law, and they declared me a vexatious person, and would not reply to my emails in future, Duuurh!
If you’re being declared by vexatious by the police, they’lll have a long long long line of evidence of this behaviour from you, legally speaking. Especially if you’re legally dense and trying to tell the police how to apply PACE.
No not impressed, I blew the whistle on Kent police for failing to enforce the law, the Animal Welfare Act, and they continue to do so thats why they made me a vexatious person!The police (& TDC) are referring the public to a charity the RSPCA, should they report animal ill treatment, but the RSPCA are not publicly accountable, they are not a branch of the police, and the police have no control over them. I asked the police if they had a contract with the RSPCA, and thats why they made me a vexatious person, to try and shut me up, they won’t! I have a letter from the RSPCA saying they are only accepting cases in an emergency, and and animal is likely to die, all other cases (I have evidence) of animal ill treatment are mostly ignored, as they just do not have the resources, especially kennels for seized dogs! They RSPCA are not fit for PUBLIC service, as they are a charity! I was once an RSPCA Trustee, and a member of the East Kent Police Independent Advisory Group, chaired by the late Barry Coppock, I know what I am talking about!
I don’t think a supreme being would waste its time creating Peter Checksfield or Birchington.
Neither would PC’s usual Polly bashing ideas find divine approval.
In the afterlife we are all meant to be nice to each other, so for PC that might be hell. The thought of PC having to be nice 24/7 for all eternity, warms the cockles of my heart.
Why do you hate successful men so much? Has your life been that bad?
Peter – at least I did not fall asleep with Mr Nokes post being a short one – he does often ramble on!
Yes, even I managed to stay awake (though I needed a strong coffe afterwards!).
The FOI needs to be applied to mosques as well as churches. But in fact there are abuse cases in all walks of public life, it’s just the media love jumping on a bandwagon and the C of E has been that bandwagon due to the publicized history. You could apply that everywhere.
It’s awful what has gone on so any way to stop covering it up everywhere would be a bonus.
Given the choice between being a foolish success and a successful fool, PC is boasting about being the latter, I will take the former.i admit I get Fed up with those prattling on about simple solutions and blaming others.
Even a stopped clock so right twice a day.
If you consider the FOI issue logically, the Archbishop and several bishop sit as in the House of Lords and whilst not part of the executive they are implement there part of govt via their vicars. As such it is entirely logical to make them subject to FOI requests and also Mosques as w have several Muslim Lords who whilst not elected specifically due to their religion, it is so that Islam can influence govt.
My comments are on public record, check out the Hackney Citizen on-line paper for the story.
Polly was a Cllr in Hackney and, I think, in the same Ward as the convicted colleague. Even if she wasn’t, for someone so concerned about abuse you wonder why nothing was said about an issue on her doorstep!
Also, Phyllis Quot, does Polly have a relationship with Welby? Is this why she spoke out?
When the paedophile Hackney Councillor news broke Polly was a candidate for East Thanet. I wrote to ask her about her safeguarding opinions when IoTN ran an article about her visit to a school. No response did I get.
I’d like to see Polly speak in the House about National Grid’s plans at Minster Marshes which will destroy biodiverse areas of international impirtance as well as creating significant life risks to population centres near the site.
All she seems to have done so far is talk about it.
Garry, why are you eschewing logic and forgetting contempt of court laws would’ve applied at the time?
Hi notimpressed, not sure what logic I’m eschewing. As for contempt, Polly could, like a few other Councillors, have made a statement about Tom Dewey. Being clear, Dewey was convicted for possessing indecent images of children, five Catagory A, 41 Catagory B and 203 Category C on 15th August 2023. Dewey worked as a Support Officer to Mayor Glanville between Oct 2015 and May 2017. The report into the fiasco points to relationships between Cllr’s and Officers that went well beyond the professional and the Mayor was not only Dewey’s boss but his “housemate”.
Polly was a Cllr for De Beauvoir Ward in Hackney from 2018 up to her election as our MP. Dewey was elected as a Cllr for the same Ward. Iv’e no idea how well Polly knew Dewey but she must have known him. Polly could and should have said something at the time but certainly after Dewey was convicted. Polly also should have responded to emails asking her to set out her commitment to Safeguarding.
Pip- “It is so that Islam can influence government”. Where and what is your evidence for this statement?
I think we have missed the point of this article. It’s about assisted dying, not about Polly Billington or the C of E or Islam.
Death and taxes are certainties, what is your opinion about assisted dying?
I am in favour of assisted dying with strong safeguarding processes.
Over to you!
Have you finally flipped? The assisted dying article was last week – THIS is about C of E abuse!
As for my opinion on assisted dying, see my detailed responses last week.
… and in future, try reading the actual article before diving straight in like Pavlov’s dog to criticise others.
George, the article was about the Freedom of Information Act (FoI Act), not assisted dying, unless I misread it! Tony Blair was on record as saying he regretted introducing it, yeah right Tony, thats the last thing you would want, people knowing what shenanigans your lot got up to when you were in government!
I think Nokes has gone a bit funny (there’s a first time for everything!).