Tory politicians are telling the next Archbishop of Canterbury not to spend that huge slavery reparations fund. A group of Conservative MPs and peers wrote a letter to Dame Sarah Mullally, urging her to scrap the planned one hundred million pound payout. They argue the Church of England's money can only legally fund parishes and clergy wages, calling the project a legally dubious vanity exercise.
Mullally, the current Bishop of London, becomes the first female Archbishop next month. The fund was announced after a report detailed the Church's historic ties to the transatlantic slave trade. That investigation found an old fund called Queen Anne's Bounty invested in African chattel enslavement. The previous Archbishop, Justin Welby, apologized for this shameful past. The Church Commissioners pledged the money over nine years for programs supporting communities impacted by slavery.
The politicians, including MPs like Katie Lam and Chris Philp, say the Church should focus on keeping local churches open and repaired. They claim diverting the cash breaches core legal obligations. Church Commissioners stated the fund aligns with their mission to transform unjust structures. They insist governance will follow charity law and fiduciary duties. Mullally, a former NHS chief nurse turned priest, will be enthroned in March, filling a role vacant for nearly a year after Welby's resignation.
Mullally, the current Bishop of London, becomes the first female Archbishop next month. The fund was announced after a report detailed the Church's historic ties to the transatlantic slave trade. That investigation found an old fund called Queen Anne's Bounty invested in African chattel enslavement. The previous Archbishop, Justin Welby, apologized for this shameful past. The Church Commissioners pledged the money over nine years for programs supporting communities impacted by slavery.
The politicians, including MPs like Katie Lam and Chris Philp, say the Church should focus on keeping local churches open and repaired. They claim diverting the cash breaches core legal obligations. Church Commissioners stated the fund aligns with their mission to transform unjust structures. They insist governance will follow charity law and fiduciary duties. Mullally, a former NHS chief nurse turned priest, will be enthroned in March, filling a role vacant for nearly a year after Welby's resignation.
