ARCHBISHOP of York Stephen Cottrell is “the wrong person” to be leading the Church of England following Justin Welby’s resignation over safeguarding failures, Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley said today.

She cited Mr Cottrell’s “abhorrent” comments about disgraced former priest David Tudor and repeated her calls for him resign from his role as the church’s acting head.

As Mr Cottrell prepared to address the church’s General Synod, also known as its parliament, in central London, Right Rev Hartley said: “I do not think that it’s appropriate for the Archbishop of York to be in post and certainly to be leading change that the church needs at this time.”