Exhibit 23.1CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRMWe consent to the incorporation by reference in the following Registration Statements of SovereignBancorp, Inc. of our reports dated February 29, 2008 with respect to the Consolidated FinancialStatements of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc. and the effectiveness of internal control over financialreporting of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc., included in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year endedDecember 31, 2007.(1) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 33-29038) pertaining to the SovereignBancorp, Inc. Retirement Plan, (2) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 33-78474) pertaining to the SovereignBancorp, Inc. 1993 Stock Option Plan, (3) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-05309) pertaining to theSovereign Bancorp, Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan, (4) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-64530) pertaining to theSovereign Bancorp, Inc. 2001 Stock Incentive Plan, (5) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-112825) pertaining to the FirstEssex Bancorp, Inc. 1987 Stock Option Plan, the First Essex Bancorp, Inc.1997 Stock Incentive Plan, and the First Essex Bancorp, Inc. 2002 StockIncentive Plan, (6) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-115528) pertaining to theSovereign Bancorp, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, the SovereignBancorp, Inc. 2004 Broad-Based Stock Incentive Plan and the SovereignBancorp, Inc. Bonus Recognition and Retention Plan, (7) Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-116800) of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc, (8) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-117621) pertaining to theSeacoast Financial Services Corporation 2003 Stock Incentive Plan, theSeacoast Financial Services Corporation 1999 Stock Incentive Plan, theAbington Bancorp, Inc. 2000 Incentive and Nonqualified Stock Option Plan,the Abington Bancorp, Inc. 1997 Incentive and Nonqualified Stock OptionPlan, the Abington Bancorp, Inc. 1986 Incentive and Nonqualified StockOption Plan and the Massachusetts Fincorp, Inc. 1999 Stock-Based IncentivePlan, (9) Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-120840) of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc., (10) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-122274) pertaining to the Waypoint Financial Corp. Retirement SavingsIncentive Plan, the Waypoint Financial Corp. 2001 Stock Option Plan, the Harris Financial, Inc. 1999 Incentive StockOption Plan, the Harris Financial, Inc. 1999 Stock Option Plan for Outside Directors, the York Financial Corp. 1997Stock Option and Incentive Plan, the Harris Savings Bank 1996 Incentive Stock Option Plan, the York Financial Corp.1995 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan for Directors, the Harris Savings Bank 1994 Incentive Stock Option Plan, theHarris Savings Bank 1994 Stock Option Plan for Outside Directors, and the York Financial Corp. Non-Incentive StockOption Plan for Directors, (11) Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-133514) of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc.,
 

 
(12) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-134976) pertaining to the IndependenceCommunity Bank Corp. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan and Trust (13) Registration Statement (Form S-4 No. 333-130060) of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc. (14) Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-143515) of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc., and (15) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-144700) pertaining to the Sovereign Bancorp,Inc. 2006 Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan         /s/ Ernst & Young LLP     Philadelphia, Pennsylvania