**Exhibit 23.1**CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRMWe consent to the incorporation by reference in the following Registration Statements of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc. of our reportsdated March 1, 2007, with respect to the Consolidated Financial Statements of Sovereign Bancorp,Inc., Sovereign Bancorp, Inc. management’s assessment of theeffectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, and the effectiveness of internalcontrol over financial reporting of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc., included in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2006.(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 the SovereignBancorp, Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan, (4) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-64530) pertaining to the SovereignBancorp, 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 the SeacoastFinancial Services Corporation 2003 Stock Incentive Plan, the SeacoastFinancial Services Corporation 1999 Stock Incentive Plan, the AbingtonBancorp, Inc. 2000 Incentive and Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, theAbington Bancorp, Inc. 1997 Incentive and Nonqualified Stock Option Plan,the Abington Bancorp, Inc. 1986 Incentive and Nonqualified Stock OptionPlan and the Massachusetts Fincorp, Inc. 1999 Stock-Based Incentive Plan, (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 WaypointFinancial Corp. Retirement Savings Incentive Plan, the Waypoint FinancialCorp. 2001 Stock Option Plan, the Harris Financial, Inc. 1999 IncentiveStock Option Plan, the Harris Financial, Inc. 1999 Stock Option Plan forOutside Directors, the York Financial Corp. 1997 Stock Option and IncentivePlan, the Harris Savings Bank 1996 Incentive Stock Option Plan, the YorkFinancial Corp. 1995 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan for Directors, theHarris Savings Bank 1994 Incentive Stock Option Plan, the Harris SavingsBank 1994 Stock Option Plan for Outside Directors, and the York FinancialCorp. Non-Incentive Stock Option 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, and (13) Registration Statement (Form S-4 No. 333-130060) of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc./s/ Ernst & Young LLPPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania