General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Revd Canon Tiffer Robinson - Candidate for House of Clergy
email. [email protected]​
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Proposer: The Revd Canon Julia Lall - Rector of Rougham, Beyton with
Hessett and Rushbrooke.​
Seconder: The Revd Canon Robert Otule - Vicar of All Saints Newmarket

Who am I?

I’m married to Amy, an author and editor and we have two
neurodiverse teenagers, Abigail and Jeremy.
I became a Christian at 17 from a secular background, and during an engineering
degree discerned a vocation to ordained ministry, which was confirmed by the
Church shortly after, while ministering in a parish and then cathedral context. I was
ordained 17 years ago into this diocese and served my title in an eight parish rural
benefice, then was Rector for a decade in a four parish rural benefice, and for the
last four years I’ve been Vicar of St Mary’s with St Peter’s in Bury St Edmunds,
mainly based at St Mary’s. Although my current church context is evangelical, I have
always been comfortable serving in a broad range of church traditions.
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Why am I standing? ​

I served on General Synod from 2015 to 2021, successfully bringing a Private
Members Motion to the floor of synod. This aimed to help clergy (and others in tied
accommodation) apply for school places before they move post, and despite strong
opposition from both Archbishops and the central church bodies it passed by a clear
majority. I sat on a legislative committee to secure better redundancy conditions for
clergy if a post is done away with after pastoral reorganisation, having tried to
oppose the possibility being introduced. I also highlighted and challenged a loophole
that enabled some lay ministers to avoid a DBS check, which has now been
addressed.
Having chosen not to stand in 2021 to support two more diverse candidates, I have
been asked to consider standing this year by a large number of fellow clergy, and so
I am open to serving the diocese and wider Church again in this way.
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What are my priorities? ​

As is evident above, clergy wellbeing is important to me, and I’ve seen even in my
20 years since entering training how much our working conditions have changed,
with ever increasing bureaucracy and compliance. Linked to this the challenge of
rising parish share and further amalgamation of benefices has brought about a crisis
in vocations and clergy retention. Although I have been involved in and seen real

fruit from Strategic development funding, I am now more sympathetic to the aims of
the Save the Parish Manifesto which can be found here:
savetheparish.com/general-synod-manifesto-2026​
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Though now in a large market town, after 13 years in rural ministry I’m fully aware
of the pressures and challenges rural and multi parish ministry presents. I have been
a significant voice over my entire ministry countering the self-defeating narrative
that seeks to reduce ministry even further in rural areas and sees this crucial mission
field as a problem. Although pleased to see a significant shift in opinion in part
through my advocacy, this narrative keeps recurring and needs to be countered, with
alternative solutions to the crises offered. I wrote about our diocese’s positive
approach here: tinyurl.com/savingtheparish
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What about the controversial issues?

I am in favour of the ordination of women to all three orders of ordained ministry,
and I am fully committed to the Guiding Principles that were agreed to by the
General Synod in 2012, and I oppose the attempts of a minority who wish to renege
on these.

Back in 2022 a series of conversations began at Lambeth Palace known as the St
Hugh’s conversations, where bishops and stakeholders from all the campaign groups
met to discuss the way forward on the recognition of same sex relationships.
Astonishingly this came to an agreement that would allow clergy to solemnise and
enter same sex marriages, but would also enable those of us who hold to the
current teaching to remain within the Church of England. This was hastily rejected
by the House of Bishops, who instead offered the compromise option of Prayers of
Love and Faith, which has caused tremendous division and distrust, and ultimately
haven’t been delivered as fully as originally promised. My contention is that the only
way out of this painful impasse is to return to the negotiating table. We need a
robust, durable settlement that allows us to minister alongside one another without
spending another decade locked in unedifying conflict. If there could be such a thing
as a middle way candidate on this, I would be it.
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Why would you vote for me?

I have demonstrated my ability to be an effective voice for our diocese and fellow
clergy at General Synod before, and if elected I plan to be even bolder and more
outspoken even when it is inconvenient or risky. It would be great if you could put
me down as your first preference, but even if you don’t feel you can then please
consider putting me down second or third if some of what I have said chimes with
you. Thank you for considering me in your deliberations.

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