Source: theguardian, by Severin Carrell and Sam Jones.

The pope has forced the abrupt resignation of Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic as the church made a frantic attempt to minimise the impact of allegations of “inappropriate acts” committed by Cardinal Keith O’Brien against fellow priests.

The cardinal revealed in his statement that he had been asked by the outgoing pope to stand down immediately. Already due to retire next month, the cardinal stated: “The Holy Father has now decided that my resignation will take effect today.”

O’Brien stood down as archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh the day after the Observer published accusations by three serving priests and a former priest about his conduct towards them during the 1980s.

More