‘We Never said George Bell was Guilty’ says Senior Church of England Bishop
By Peter Hitchens, Mailonline:
I should read Hansard (the official record of debates in the House of Parliament) every day, but I don’t, which is why I have only just learned of an amazing development in the George Bell case, which took place in the House of Lords on the early evening of Thursday 28th January. The Church of England is not convinced of George Bell’s guilt of the charges against him. And it has said so explicitly. The statement was made by the Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, the third most important Bishop in the Church of England.
So those media which wrote and broadcast as if the charge was proven, and who have defended themselves by saying the Church statement confirmed his guilt, are definitively and demonstrably mistaken, as I have repeatedly argued in complaints to them urging them to correct the inaccuracy. I kept saying that the statement, while appearing to suggest his guilt, did not in fact do so.
This actually has far more importance than the detailed allegations against the late Bishop, whose revelation I discussed earlier this week. I’ll get back to that at some point, but would urge anyone interested to read the report several times. It reveals more on each reading and is a fascinating document.
The Bishop also says quite clearly (I’ve highlighted the key passages) that the Church mishandled the issue and underestimated the importance of George Bell’s life and works ( a polite way of saying that they didn’t really know who he was).
So here’s the Lords Hansard link:
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