A celebrity culture that hails The X Factor and Premier League footballers had a part to play in the England riots, the work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said.

British society celebrates "all the wrong people", he said, reflecting on the background and causes of the unrest in August, in an interview with the Guardian.

Mr Duncan Smith said more should be done to champion people who had worked hard and done well.

"If you look at the footballers, you look at our celebrity culture, we seem to be saying, 'This is the way you want to be'. We seem to be a society that celebrates all the wrong people," he said.

"Kids are meant to believe that their stepping stone to massive money is The X Factor. Luck is great, but most of life is hard work. We do not celebrate people who have made success out of serious hard work."

Mr Duncan Smith warned that unless reforms were made to repair communities, there was "every chance" rioting would recur.

The Guardian reported that the minister is to call for private sector investment to help prevent social breakdown.

Article courtesy of Aviva PLC. Published 14-12-2011