Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby is facing calls for resignation following a critical review of the Church’s handling of abuse allegations against John Smyth. The report stated that Welby ‘could and should’ have reported Smyth’s abuses to authorities back in 2013. Since the report’s release, over 1,500 signatures have been collected on a petition demanding his resignation due to his failures. Welby expressed regret over the situation, stating he was unaware of the abuse prior to 2013, yet the Church now contends with the urgent need for change in its safeguarding practices.