Bishop Perumbalath stated it had turn out to be clear that stepping apart and ready for additional opinions would imply “a protracted interval of uncertainty” for the diocese.

The exact date when his position would formally finish was not but decided, he stated, including: “However I step again from my ministry in the present day.

“This implies I cannot be ministering in or main the diocese with instant impact.”

His resignation comes after a gaggle of church leaders introduced they’d written to the Archbishop of York calling for the bishop to step apart.

They stated the allegations must be “absolutely and correctly” investigated and the Church of England’s personal inquiries had fallen brief.

The letter was signed by clergy together with Sue Jones, Dean of Liverpool, Pete Spiers, Archdeacon of Knowsley & Sefton and Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, Archdeacon of Liverpool.

They wrote: “Having listened to clergy, congregations and employees on the diocesan places of work and the cathedral it’s with deep remorse that the senior management of the Diocese of Liverpool really feel the place of the Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath is at the moment untenable.”