Bishop of Leeds speaks out in wake of atrocity in Berlin

Following Monday night’s atrocity, the Rt Rev Nick Baines said: “What is sobering about the latest attack is that conclusions were being drawn before facts were known.

“I suspect we might have to cope with more atrocities as the world has become a more dangerous place. How we respond will determine whether we are agents of hope or not.”

Meanwhile, Nigel Farage sparked outrage among Labour politicians after linking the widower of murdered Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox to “extremists” hours after the attack.

The former Ukip leader had said on Twitter that the atrocity in Berlin was a result of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to allow migrants into Germany.

Mr Cox, whose wife was murdered by neo-Nazi Thomas Mair in June, replied that blaming politicians for the actions of extremists was a “slippery slope”.

Mr Farage later said Mr Cox would know more about extremists than him since he backed organisations which “masquerade as being lovely and peaceful but pursue violent and very undemocratic means.”

German prosecutors say a man arrested after the attack was released because there was insufficient evidence to tie him to the rampage.