Lewisham East MP Heidi Alexander cut short her holiday in the United States to return home in the wake of Monday’s disturbances in the borough, during which rioters trashed her constituency office.

Alexander, 36, returned to speak during the emergency debate in the House of Commons. When she heard a message on her voicemail about the events, she said she felt ‘physically sick.”

She went on: “My own constituency office was smashed, the door kicked in and computer equipment stolen. But compared to those who lost their homes and businesses, I was one of the lucky ones.

“I first learnt of these events as I sat in a New York taxi on my way to start my honeymoon. As I listened to voicemails, one from my alarm company, two from the police, I felt physically sick.”

She added: “Some argue that this week’s riots are just the direct product of Government cuts. I don’t buy that, it’s too simplistic. Yes, some youth centres have closed, yes, young people are angry about tuition fees. But the people out rioting on Monday are, by and large, not the people who use our youth clubs nor, I suspect, are they the people who will be re-evaluating a university education as a result of increased tuition fees.

“No, these riots are primarily a result of disaffected, marginalised youths looking for a ruck. They are the result of mindless idiots who capitalised on an opportunity to nick some trainers or a plasma TV from Argos. Whilst the initial catalyst for these riots in Tottenham may have been anger at the police, I suspect that the person who smashed up my constituency office window wouldn’t even know who Mark Duggan was.”

The full report of her speech is here