Bishop welcomes new appointment

The Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith, whose diocese includes 150 parishes in Bedfordshire and Luton, said that the appointment of the Rt Revd Justin Welby would mean the new man brought a wealth of experience to the role.

He said: “I am delighted to hear the news that Justin Welby has been nominated to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury. He is a man of prayer and deep faith who brings a breadth of experience to the role.

“His work in the oil industry has given him insight into the business world and provided the raw material for his writing and speaking about corporate and financial ethics.

“His five years of ministry in Coventry, followed by his time as Dean of Liverpool Cathedral have given him a profound understanding of the problems and opportunities of urban life in Britain today.”

He added: “As the leader of the Anglican Communion, he will be able to draw on his overseas experience and knowledge of other world faiths.

“In his present post as Bishop of Durham he has been grappling with issues of economic regeneration in the North East of England as well as helping the churches engage with their communities in relevant ways.

“He will make a worthy successor to Archbishop Rowan Williams and I look forward to working with him.”