London Bishops have written to housing minister Alok Sharma calling on him to do more to protect vulnerable private tenants.

The Bishops of Barking, Edmonton, Stepney, Croydon and Woolwich have also urged Sharma to support the renewal of the Newham landlord licencing scheme, presently awaiting the consent of the Department of Communities and Local Government.

The Bishop of Woolwich, Rt Rev Woyin Karowei Dorgu told Premier Christian Radio that: “We felt that it’s our responsibility because it’s one of the priorities of the ministry of the Bishop to speak for the voiceless and to speak for those who are marginalised, oppressed and are suffering injustice in society as Jesus would do.”

“In the face of making so much money and wealth out of the industry, we’ve also experienced such a widening of the gap between the rich and the poor. Some of the states in which these homes…exist, is just simply unacceptable” Dorgu is quoted as saying on the Premier website.