Everyone across our country has been horrified at the scenes unfolding on our TV screens, and, for some, outside their homes and workplaces.

Watching from Glasgow, I was certainly relieved that the riots did not spread to Scotland, but I think it is unhelpful for anyone, especially the First Minister, to express any feeling of superiority about that. My constituents are feeling solidarity with the victims of the violence, and with everyone who is afraid in their own community as a result of the riots, not gloating that this hasn’t been happening in Scotland.

The question that everyone is struggling with, of course, is why? The behaviour we’ve seen is a total anathema to so many law-abiding citizens. We won’t find an answer to that question in today’s debate, because it is not a simple one.

For there to be so many individuals acting so destructively in a mob mentality, there has to be a wide mix of motivations. There’s the professional thugs and organised criminals who seek any opportunity to hijack events or protests. There’s those driven by greed and materialism, wanting the trainers or the TV – but not it seems, the literature from Waterstones. There’s those who are aimless, bored, or thrill-seeking. And those who are doing it because they think they can get away with it. What they have in common, is that they lack a values system, or moral code as the member for Tottenham put it, that would kick in and stop them in their tracks, recognising that this kind of behaviour is just wrong.

I’m very glad the Prime Minister mentioned that he would be seeking advice on tackling gangs from Strathclyde Police among others. Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan has done inspiring work in his Violence Reduction Unit over many years. Interestingly, he speaks most passionately about the need for early intervention, the need to work intensively with families with young babies.

The Pupil Premium will provide extra funding and support to children of school age, and the extension of free nursery provision to 2 year olds from deprived backgrounds is good news, but we should be looking to do more even earlier.

Time is short, and the issue I want to focus my comments on today is that while in the past week we have seen very ugly examples of what human beings can do, we have also seen the opposite.

The response to the riots has demonstrated the very best of human nature, and has shown a British society we can truly be proud of.

From the quiet dignity of Tariq Jahan, grieving for his son, but urging unity: “Blacks, Asians, whites – we all live in the same community… Calm down and go home – please.”

To the feisty courage of Pauline Pearce, Lady P, the so-called “Heroine of Hackney”, who has become a YouTube sensation after she was filmed shaking her walking stick while berating the rioters, before fearlessly stopping them beating up a photographer.

And there’s the generosity of ordinary people, who have donated piles of clothes and personal items for those who have tragically lost their homes, who are checking on elderly neighbours, and getting stuck into clearing up as part of the Broom Army.

It’s a good point to mention social media, which has in some quarters been blamed for the organisation of the riots. Government should be very cautious about any blanket restrictions on social media, because the last few days have also shown it to be a force for good.

The RiotCleanUp website and Twitter account has attracted almost 100,000 followers, encouraging and co-ordinating people to volunteer with brooms and binbags, clearing up the mess.

On PledgeBank, the RebuildReeves campaign has had 400 people so far donate to the cause of recreating the 160-year-old furniture store, House of Reeves, destroyed in flames.

KeepAaronCutting has taken up the case of 89-year old barber Aaron Biber whose shop was ransacked, and has so far raised nearly £6,000 to help him rebuild it.

The youth who was so shockingly mugged while people pretended to help has been the focus of a similar site.

Then there’s the Facebook groups attracting thousands of followers, Let’s Not Have A Riot in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield….

Of course many of these initiatives have been taken by young people, in a positive counter to the media image of teen rioters out of control.

Young and old. Black, white & Asian. Muslim, Christians, Sikhs… all races, religions and communities have united in a strong display not only of condemnation, but willingness to help and do their bit.

This generosity, determination, courage, hard work, and the spontaneous acts of kindness – this is more reflective of true British society.

This is the reason to be positive about UK society – this is the powerful alternative to hate and destruction.

The Independent had a characteristically thoughtful piece by Camila Batmanghelidjh of Kids’ Company, who has more experience of helping to turn around the lives of our most marginalised young people than almost anyone else.

Those who committed these crimes must be brought to justice and face the consequences of their actions, the force of the law.

And in the long term, the challenge for us all, is that we do not write these people off. While serving their sentence for what they have done, we also need to help them to rehabilitate, to learn to value and contribute positively to our communities, and see for themselves the pointlessness of destroying them.

Yes, we have seen the worst side of human nature in the past few days. But in the courage, dignity, kindness and solidarity of the British people, we have also seen the best of human nature. We should remember that is part of the answer.