MPs should not influence church on same-sex marriage, says Justin Welby

Archbishop of Canterbury tells members not to be swayed by ‘groups or lobbies or outsiders’ at General Synod

The archbishop of Canterbury has warned MPs that he will ignore threats of parliamentary intervention to force the Church of England to allow same-sex couples to marry in church.

Speaking at the C of E’s national assembly, the General Synod, Justin Welby said members should not be swayed on the issue by “groups or lobbies or outsiders”. He said he had heard such efforts to influence the church “over the last two weeks in parliament, and being told exactly what to do. I’m not doing any of it”.