THE Archbishop of York has joined the race debate sparked by Jade Goody on Big Brother - calling racism "an ugly underbelly in society".

Dr John Sentamu's intervention was today welcomed by one North Yorkshire MP, who urged reality TV bosses to take note.

Speaking at the 20th Martin Luther King Memorial Lecture in London on Saturday, Dr Sentamu called for the country to overcome and cast out the "four modern demons of our time" - idolatry, materialism, militarism, and racism.

He used the civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome" as the basis for calling for a Christian response to violence and materialism, which provide a backdrop to the problems faced by young people in society.

The archbishop, who himself turned down an invitation to appear on Celebrity Big Brother last October, compared racism with the hospital superbug MRSA.

Speaking about what he called "the demon of racism" in British society, he said: "The events of the past week on our television screens have reminded us only too well of Dr King's famous dictum that ignorance is the root of all prejudice'.

"As the week's events on reality television demonstrate, there is an ugly underbelly in society only too ready to point the finger at the foreigner, or those who might not fit in.

"But much more worrying than the soap opera silliness of Big Brother, were the comments of the judge this week who, rather than chiding a defendant for racially abusive comments towards a police doctor, advised the defendant on how to insult Asian people in such a way that he didn't end up in court.

"The eradication of racism is a serious task for all of us. It isn't some optional liberal gesture towards minorities.

"Racism, like MRSA to a human body, is the worst enemy because it attacks directly community organs and all its component parts. It's our duty and responsibility to tackle racism head on - publicly and privately - from whatever quarter it rears its vicious head."

The archbishop also warned against the status of "victimhood" adopted by those who may have been victims of wrong doing.

He said: "There is a temptation open to any who have suffered offence or been wronged to turn their powerlessness into bitterness. It is not being the victim of a wrong which defines our character but how we decide to respond to the wrongdoing."

Selby MP John Grogan supported the archbishop's stance. He said: "As always when the Archbishop of York speaks he gives us all thought for reflection, and I think on this occasion that will particularly apply to Channel 4 bosses."