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Ed Miliband today linked the riots that swept across England to the MPs' expenses scandal, banking crisis and phone hacking revelations.

The Labour leader claimed the series of scandals indicated a breakdown in society and were examples where people had lost their sense of right and wrong.

Amid criticism that it was his party that oversaw the growth of irresponsibility during its 13 years in power, he also admitted Labour had not reduced inequality while in Government.

Mr Miliband's comments came after David Cameron declared some parts of society were not just broken but 'sick' and as the inquest into the causes of the recent violence began in earnest.

Labour leader Ed Miliband MP with stall holder Pander Kelly in Brixton today

David Cameron today with a group of young people who are taking part in 'Not In Our Name' event

The Labour leader told the BBC: 'There is an issue which went to all our souls - this is an issue not just about the responsibility and irresponsibility we saw on the streets of Tottenham.

'It's about irresponsibility, wherever we find it in our society. We've seen in the past few years MPs' expenses, what happened in the banks, what happened with phone hacking.'

'I really hope the Prime Minister in the next couple of days, before everything dissipates and the dust settles, agrees to that public inquiry,' he said.

He added: 'We have got to ask why do we have people in our society who feel that the way they can get on and the right thing to do is go and nick the telly, engage in the kind of looting we saw.

'We have got to avoid simplistic answers. There's a debate some people are starting: is it culture, is it poverty and lack of opportunity? It's probably both.'

Looters stealing alcohol from a Sainsbury's in central Manchester

On Labour's failure to cut inequality, he added: 'I deeply regret that inequality wasn't reduced under the last Labour government. But we did great things to tackle inequality in our society. We did better at rebuilding the fabric of our country than the ethic of our country.'

The Prime Minister said yesterday that drastic measures were needed because 'there is a major problem in our society with children growing up and not knowing the difference between right and wrong'.

'The potential consequences of neglect and immorality on this scale have been clear for too long, without enough action being taken,' he told the Commons.

Mr Miliband visited Brixton in south London this morning to meet business owners and people affected by the disorder that has seen more than 1,000 arrests.

Lionel Owusu, who was supporting the Peace in the Streetz campaign told him: 'We absolutely condemn the violence but you have to look at the causes - causes are not excuses.

'People have got nothing and would rather be top of the criminal world than bottom of society. You have to address their education and aspirations.'

A group of riot police detaining a man in central Birmingham. dailymail.co.uk