UK: THE Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones, has been called on to resign by his former communications officer who has been awarded over £14,500 at an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal by the diocese.
The Rev David Johnston exposed the Bishop as a liar and revealed his chagrin at not being appointed Archbishop of York and his subsequent dislike for Liverpool.
Mr Johnston was initially suspended after the Sunday People wrote in November 2006 that he was having an affair with his assistant Diane Pendleton despite still being married to his wife Margaret. The lawyers for the diocese admitted that it “may or may not have been written by the Bishop”. In fact, the Johnstons’ marriage had irretrievably broken down sometime before the relationship with Ms Pendleton began, and Mr Johnston had kept his employers informed.
The Sunday People withdrew the story and apologized for it, but by then Mr Johnston was being threatened by the Bishop, who maintained a façade of support in the media.