Sir Ed Davey Calls for Reflection from Welsh Lib Dem Leader Jane Dodds Over Abuse Case Handling

Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has stated that Jane Dodds, who leads the party in Wales, ought to consider her leadership role in light of her management of a sexual abuse case during her tenure with the Church of England. A report published in 2021 concluded that Jane Dodds, currently leading the Welsh Liberal Democrats, committed a “grave error of judgement” by failing to arrange a meeting concerning a specific abuse case involving a deceased former bishop. This bishop sexually abused at least 18 victims across a 15-year span. Dodds has acknowledged “shortcomings” but affirmed her intention to remain in her leadership capacity. When questioned about whether Dodds should resign, Sir Ed Davey responded that she ought to “reflect on this very carefully” and “think about what else she may need to do”. This development follows the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury due to his failure to report the prolific child abuser John Smyth. Dodds faced accusations of not organizing a meeting regarding the abuse of an individual mentioned in the 2021 report, A Betrayal of Trust. This report identified the late Hubert Victor Whitsey, former Bishop of Chester, who passed away in 1987, as having perpetrated “appalling acts” against children, teenagers, and vulnerable adults from 1966 to 1981. Davey conveyed to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “I accept that she has apologised, but this is such a serious issue, so I think she does need to think about what else she may need to do.” He added: “I’ve made my feelings really clear to her about what I think she should do and I think she’s reflecting. I hope she does.” Following Davey’s remarks, Dodds, who is the sole Welsh Liberal Democrat Member of the Senedd, stated that the party’s Welsh board maintained confidence in her leadership. She declared her intention to “continue fighting for the people of Wales” in her capacity as the party’s Welsh leader. Dodds further noted that she “accepted at the time that there were shortcomings in organising meetings about this case” and “acknowledged” these in the report. She also stated: “I have made child protection my life’s work, having worked in the field for over 20 years prior to entering politics,” adding, “I whole-heartedly apologise to the victims for the delays that this contributed to.” During a distinct interview on BBC Radio Wales’ Sunday Supplement, conducted prior to Davey’s interview, Dodds mentioned she was unaware of the source briefing Nation Cymru. Nation Cymru had reported that “Welsh Liberal Democrats who are antagonistic towards Ms Dodds have only just become aware” of her connection to the report. Tim Sly, president of the Welsh Lib Dems, affirmed that the board had conveyed its “complete confidence” in Dodds as leader and regarded the issue as concluded. Peter Black, a former long-serving Lib Dem member of the Welsh assembly (now known as the Senedd) and currently a Swansea councillor, voiced criticism of Davey. Black commented on X that Davey’s remarks were “very unhelpful”. He wrote: “It is clear he has not read the report, but regardless, this is a matter for the Welsh party, not him.” He further added: “There are other ways he can express his view without contributing to a media witch hunt.”