Russell Brand on the London riots: `Big Brother isn`t watching you`

The 36-year-old describes the 'sad and frightening' news from his homeland and the guilt he feels for not being in the affected boroughs.

He tries to understand why the violence happened in the first place, agreeing that it is 'unacceptable' and 'unjustifiable,' but also added that we need to 'work out why so many people feel utterly disconnected from the cities they live in.'

The Arthur actor recalled taking part in a number of protests in his early 20s that sometimes became 'chaotic'.

He wrote: 'I found those protests exciting, yes because I was young and a bit of a twerp but also, I suppose, because there was a void in me.

'A lack of direction, a sense that I was not invested in the dominant culture, that Government existed not to look after the interests of the people it was elected to represent but the big businesses that they were in bed with.'

The husband of pop star Katy Perry Brand went on to argue that politicians have created a 'disenfranchised' youth by serving their own career interests, rather than the needs of what people want.

He said: 'I remember Cameron saying 'hug a hoodie' but I haven't seen him doing it. Why would he? Hoodies don't vote, they've realised it's pointless, that whoever gets elected will just be a different shade of the 'we don't give a toss about you' party.

'Politicians don't represent the interests of people who don't vote. They barely care about the people who do vote. They look after the corporations who get them elected.

'These young people have no sense of community because they haven't been given one. If we don't want our young people to tear apart our communities then don't let people in power tear apart the values that hold our communities together.'

Russell concluded by suggesting that the solution to the problem is 'spiritual' rather than political, quoting Gandhi: 'Be the change you want to see in the world.'

The funnyman added: 'If we want to live in a society where people feel included, we must include them, where they feel represented, we must represent them and where they feel love and compassion for their communities then we, the members of that community, must find love and compassion for them.'