The Bishop of Rochester has been branded an "arsehole" by an aide to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The slur against the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali appeared in an official document sent to 43 diocesan bishops and 10 Downing Street.

The insult, which referred to the "arsehole Bishop of Rochester", appeared in a confidential list of job vacancies and prospective candidates.

The offensive word had been inserted in front of the Bishop's name. It is thought the person who added insult has been dismissed.

A spokesman for the Church of England confirmed the member of Dr Rowan Williams' staff who inserted the offending word no longer worked for the Church of England but refused to comment further.

A spokesman for the Bishop of Rochester also refused to comment.

It is not clear which of the Bishop’s often contentious remarks may have provoked the attack.

Dr Nazir-Ali has courted controversy ever since he was appointed as England’s first non-white diocesan bishop in 1994.

The Pakistani-born doctor of theology is the son of a convert from Islam and once worshipped as a Roman Catholic.

Earlier this year his opinions on Muslim communities earned him death threats and he was heavily criticised for not taking part in this summer’s Lambeth conference because a gay American bishop was attending.

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