THE Archbishop of Canterbury will use his last months in office to “wage war” on the government over its vision for British society.
Friends of Rowan Williams said he remains deeply concerned by policies introduced by David Cameron which he fears are leaving the country increasingly divided.
In particular, the 61-year-old archbishop will “fight for the poor and marginalised”, who he considers have suffered from the coalition’s failure to address the “gross excess” of the financial world, the friends said.
“He is going to wage war on the government over its social reforms and urge it to do more to create a financial system that sees the strong fend for the weak,” said a source close to the archbishop, adding that Williams is particularly committed to the theme of “responsible capitalism”.
A Lambeth Palace insider said: “He is not going to shut up. He will use all the time he has left to speak out forcefully on the issues that he thinks people want addressed.
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“He doesn’t make political calculations, but he will speak out as he sees fit.”
Williams launched a fierce attack on the coalition’s welfare, education and health reforms last year, accusing Cameron of forcing through “radical policies for which no one voted”.
Although the prime minister paid tribute to the archbishop as “a man of great learning and humility”, one of the prelate’s advisers said Cameron had failed to treat Williams properly. “Meetings would be set up, but we would receive a phone call at the last minute saying he [Cameron] couldn’t make it,” they said.
“Well, Rowan’s intervention over the government’s reforms certainly made them sit up and take notice.”
The end of Williams’s tenure has been marred by the collapse of his initiative designed to reconcile the battling factions of the worldwide Anglican communion over issues such as women bishops and homosexuality.
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The Anglican Communion Covenant, a rule book that would impose sanctions on dioceses such as those in America that ordained gay bishops, is on the verge of being quashed. After votes yesterday, a total of 20 dioceses in the Church of England out of 44 have now rejected the document, two short of defeating it, with 12 so far voting in favour.
James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool, one of the dioceses which rejected the covenant yesterday, said it would “undermine” the Anglican communion, prevent it from making progress and run the risk of litigation.
Friends of Williams said he was determined to switch focus from internal rifts to healing divisions in society. They said he wants to address his vision for “the common good” and the strengthening of community life.
They said his increasing exasperation at the church’s inability to resolve these issues was a key factor in his decision to start looking for a return to academia last year.
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The archbishop announced on Friday that he would step down by the end of this year, nearly a decade before he is due to retire, to become master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.
John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, is seen as the favourite to succeed Williams. He has the highest public profile of any Anglican cleric other than Williams. His supporters argue that his close links to Africa would help keep the church together.
Father Edward Lewis, a chaplain to the Queen and vicar of St Mary-the-Virgin in Kenton, northwest London, said that although Sentamu was a social conservative “he would have enough political nous not to push that”, adding: “He will tick so many boxes.”
There is strong opposition among senior staff at Lambeth Palace to his appointment. One of Williams’s confidants has discussed with a senior bishop his hopes that the Ugandan-born Sentamu will not be chosen, even suggesting that an “anyone but York” campaign should be launched.
There has long been tension between the offices of the two archbishops, with Williams’s aides often infuriated by Sentamu’s media interventions and particularly dismayed by his decision to write a column for the Sunday edition of The Sun.
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One of two
The jockeying may have begun, but the complex procedure to name a new leader for the established church begins formally only in May when the Crown Nominations Commission meets to discuss the position.
The commission includes nominees of the church, the prime minister and the worldwide Anglican communion.
After canvassing opinion across the church in Britain and abroad, the commission will put two names to Downing Street. For the first time, it will say which it prefers and the prime minister will be allowed to choose the fall-back name only in exceptional circumstances. David Cameron will then pass the chosen name to the Queen for approval.