Catholic responce to the Church of England row

The Telegraph's own James Kirkup notes the response that other church groups have made on the Church of England accusations against the UK government.

Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor rejected the Anglican bishops views on BBC Radio Four's Today Programme, suggesting they were playing a "blame game."

Instead of blaming the Government for materialism and social problems, the cardinal said that responsibility should be shared more widely. Ordinary people and churchmen also bear some of the blame, he said.

"If we are going to accuse people of immorality it is much further than the Government, it is the whole country," Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said. "I am not too happy with the blame game because if we say that there has to be a "conversion", then I always start with myself."

"Obviously, governments have a particular responsibility but so have the people, so have the cities, so have the communities, I always think that a change of heart begins locally.. you can't bring it about just by Government."

Asked whether he agreed with Bishop McCulloch that the Labuor Government had been "beguiled by money", the cardinal responded: "I do not think that is the whole truth at all."

The cardinal's support will please Downing Street, which had been angered by the Anglican criticism. On Sunday one senior Government source accused the Church of England bishops of a "totally unjustified political attack" on Labour's record