Justin Welby spent his 11 years as Archbishop of Canterbury trying to prevent the global Anglican communion from fracturing, often struggling to please liberals or conservatives as they fought over homosexual rights and women clergy.

During his 11 years as Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has presided over royal weddings and funerals while also trying to keep a divided Anglican Communion together. But it was a scandal which began before his time as the head of the Church of England which led to his downfall.

Welby had faced calls to resign after a report last week found he had taken insufficient action to stop a person it described as arguably the Church of England’s most prolific serial abuser.