A former Bishop of Rochester has branded last week's looting across Britain as barbaric.

Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali blamed the recent violence on a loss of a moral framework brought about by "godlessness"

In a letter to the Sunday Telegraph, he said it had led "to the plunge into new barbarism."

His comments follow days of rioting across Britain - which has led to thousands of arrests for arson, theft and criminal damage.

Bishop Nazir-Ali - one of six senior clergymen to sign the letter - said their congregations had been affected by "the recent violence on our streets".

He continues: "What made Britain great was a sense of responsibility, of accountability to one another and, ultimately, to God.

"We must take steps immediately to strengthen the family as a place for moral and spiritual formation where our children first learn about boundaries."

The Bishop said churches were committed to supporting schools in "instilling in the young values derived from the timeless life-enhancing principles of the Bible."

And he claimed that "godlessness" had only produced "selfishness and greed."
The Bishop retired from his post at Rochester in 2009 to take up a position as director of the Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy and Dialogue.