Carl Barat thinks he and Pete Doherty have to “start again” for The Libertines to work.

The singer and guitarist said he feels currently there is “no future” for the group – who originally split in 2004, but reunited to play two huge shows last year – and he and his co-frontman need to start their relationship over again in order for them to continue.

Carl said: “I thought the past was the past and me and Pete could start again with our roots firmly in the ground. We have to start again.

“Because I refuse – pointedly – to make any kind of other record, recording or song written on the pain and nastiness and upset and anything negative that’s happened in the past. If we do that then it will be a bad record, so what the f**k’s the point?”

The ‘What Became of the Likely Lads’ hitmaker also added the band’s spirit goes beyond settling a few arguments between members and he will only write new material with the group if it has significant meaning to it.

He added to NME magazine: “Blood from broken hearts writes the words to every song. That doesn’t make it f***ing easy. So for everyone who says en masse ‘just do it’ and reform properly, then you need a lot of broken hearts.”