Front: Riots could happen again, warns Williams: Archbishop of Canterbury calls for new drive to 'rescue' alienated youth

• Published in: The Guardian (London)
• Main Author: Paul Lewis James Ball Matthew Taylor
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: London (UK) Guardian News & Media Limited 06.12.2011
• Subjects: Williams, Rowan
• ISSN: 0261-3077

Warning of "more outbreaks of futile anarchy", Rowan Williams, called for a renewed effort to reach out to alienated young people during what he described as the "unavoidable austerity ahead". Those questioned were pessimistic about the future, with 29% disagreeing with the statement "life is full of opportunities" - compared with 13% among the population at large. Eighty-five percent said poverty was an "important" or "very important" factor in causing the riots. The general population largely agreed, with 68% saying poverty was a significant cause of the summer unrest. In the aftermath of the August riots, the prime minister, David Cameron, was quick to dismiss the idea that poverty was a factor in the disorder. "These riots were not about poverty," he said. "That insults the millions of people who, whatever the hardship, would never dream of making others suffer like this." "I think there were particular issues about where this kicked off, in Tottenham, that are being investigated at the moment," he said. "But I think elsewhere this was much more of copycat action. I think it was about looting."