Bishop suspended following complaints

The Bishop of Salisbury has been suspended following two complaints against him being brought to the next stage of a Church of England process.

The church says the suspension of The Rt Revd Stephen Lake is a neutral act while allegations are progressed and he is asked to respond to them.

The complaints were brought following allegations of financial misconduct and concerns raised with the National Safeguarding Team relating to his conduct.

The Bishop voluntarily stepped down from duties in the diocese - which covers most of Wiltshire, Dorset and the Channel Islands - in April and The Rt Revd Karen Gorham, Bishop of Sherborne, is acting Bishop of Salisbury.

Lake was appointed Bishop of Salisbury in 2022, previously serving as the Dean of Gloucester Cathedral.

He became a priest in 1989.

In a previous statement, the bishop said he had been co-operating "fully with the investigations" and looked "forward to the opportunity to be able to respond to the allegations brought under the Clergy Discipline Measure".

In regards to the financial misconduct allegations, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Salisbury said in April the two funds audited related to the office of the Bishop of Salisbury but were "separate from parish share and other funds controlled by the Diocesan Board of Finance".

When safeguarding concerns emerged in July, the BBC understood Wiltshire Police were not taking action and the allegations did not involve children.

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