An Iranian-born refugee could become the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Rt Rev Guli Francis-Dehqani – who arrived in the UK when she was 13 – last night emerged as an early frontrunner to succeed Justin Welby in the role.
Currently the Bishop of Chelmsford, bookies Ladbrokes and Star Sports have Dr Francis-Dehqani as the early favourite to become the first woman in the post in its 1,428-year history.
She would become the 106th spiritual leader of the Church of England.
Her Christian family fled Iran after they were persecuted amid the imposition of strict Islamic rule in the 1970s.
