Homeless tent ban proposed by UK interior minister
Suella Braverman. Photo: AFP / Adrian Dennis
Britain's interior minister Suella Braverman said on Saturday she would propose new laws to limit the use of tents by homeless people, saying many of them see it as "a lifestyle choice".
In a post on X, Braverman, who is seen as a possible future leader of the governing Conservative Party, said the state would always support those who are genuinely homeless.
"But we cannot allow our streets to be taken over by rows of tents occupied by people, many of them from abroad, living on the streets as a lifestyle choice," she said.
Braverman argued that unless the government acted, British cities would "go the way of places in the US like San Francisco and Los Angeles, where weak policies have led to an explosion of crime, drug taking, and squalor."
She said there were options for people who did not want to be sleeping rough, and the government was working with local government to increase support.
"What I want to stop, and what the law-abiding majority wants us to stop, is those who cause nuisance and distress to other people by pitching tents in public spaces, aggressively begging, stealing, taking drugs, littering, and blighting our communities," Braverman added.
She was criticised by Angela Rayner, the opposition Labour Party's deputy leader, who said on X: "Rough sleeping is not 'a lifestyle choice'," and blamed increased homelessness on 13 years of Conservative government.
Homelessness charity Shelter was also critical of Braverman.
"Let's make it clear: living on the streets is not a -lifestyle choice- - it is a sign of failed government policy," it said on X.
The government's new legislative programme will be outlined in the King's Speech on Tuesday.
In September, Braverman called for a global overhaul of the approach towards immigration, which is likely to be a key issue at Britain's general election expected next year.
That speech was criticised by human rights campaigners, opposition politicians and even some members of her own party.
- This story was first published by Reuters
UK minister plans to restrict use of tents by homeless
Updated November 4 2023 -
UK minister Suella Braverman says sleeping in tents in public areas is often 'a lifestyle choice'. (EPA PHOTO)
Britain's interior minister Suella Braverman will propose new laws to limit the use of tents by homeless people, saying many of them see it as "a lifestyle choice".
In a post on X, Braverman, who is seen as a possible future leader of the governing Conservative Party, said the state would always support those who are genuinely homeless.
"But we cannot allow our streets to be taken over by rows of tents occupied by people, many of them from abroad, living on the streets as a lifestyle choice," she said.
Braverman argued that unless the government acted, British cities would "go the way of places in the US like San Francisco and Los Angeles, where weak policies have led to an explosion of crime, drug taking, and squalor."
She said there were options for people who did not want to be sleeping rough, and the government was working with local government to increase support.
"What I want to stop, and what the law abiding majority wants us to stop, is those who cause nuisance and distress to other people by pitching tents in public spaces, aggressively begging, stealing, taking drugs, littering, and blighting our communities," Braverman added.
She was criticised by Angela Rayner, the opposition Labour Party's deputy leader, who blamed increased homelessness on 13 years of Conservative government.
Homelessness charity Shelter was also critical of the minister.
"Let's make it clear: living on the streets is not a 'lifestyle choice' - it is a sign of failed government policy," it said on X.
The UK government's new legislative programme will be outlined in the King's Speech on Tuesday.
In September, Braverman called for a global overhaul of the approach towards immigration, which is likely to be a key issue at Britain's general election expected next year.
That speech was criticised by human rights campaigners, opposition politicians and even some members of her own party.
Associated Press
Braverman hits out at ‘nuisance’ homeless tents blighting UK streets
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she wants to put a stop to the “nuisance and distress” caused by homeless people pitching tents on public streets.
The Cabinet minister said the UK “cannot allow our streets to be taken over by rows of tents” occupied by people who she said were mainly from abroad and “living on the streets as a lifestyle choice”.
She said that unless there was action, then British cities could see an “explosion of crime, drug taking, and squalor” that she said San Francisco and Los Angeles in the United States had witnessed.
Mrs Braverman made the comments on X, formerly known as Twitter, as she shared an article from the Financial Times reporting about how she is pushing for restrictions on the use of tents in urban environments.
According to the report, the senior Conservative’s proposals include establishing a civil offence to deter charities from giving tents to homeless people.
It said charities could be fined for handing out tents if they are deemed to have caused a nuisance under plans being pitched to be included in the King’s Speech, which will set out the UK Government’s legislative agenda on Tuesday.
The potential legislation would look to prevent the obstruction of shop doorways by rough sleepers who are using tents, the FT said.
Lifestyle choice
Mrs Braverman, who is currently on a visit to the Greek island of Samos, tweeted on Saturday: “The British people are compassionate. We will always support those who are genuinely homeless.
“But we cannot allow our streets to be taken over by rows of tents occupied by people, many of them from abroad, living on the streets as a lifestyle choice.
“Unless we step in now to stop this, British cities will go the way of places in the US like San Francisco and Los Angeles, where weak policies have led to an explosion of crime, drug taking, and squalor.
“Nobody in Britain should be living in a tent on our streets.
“There are options for people who don’t want to be sleeping rough, and the Government is working with local authorities to strengthen wraparound support including treatment for those with drug and alcohol addiction.
“What I want to stop, and what the law abiding majority wants us to stop, is those who cause nuisance and distress to other people by pitching tents in public spaces, aggressively begging, stealing, taking drugs, littering, and blighting our communities.”
Fresh powers
The Home Office said it could not comment on what might feature in the King’s Speech.
But officials pointed to the Antisocial Behaviour Action Plan announced in March, which included proposals to provide police and councils with fresh powers to “address rough sleeping and other street activity where it is causing a public nuisance”.
The plan said officers should be able to “clear the debris, tents and paraphernalia that can blight an area, while ensuring those genuinely homeless and with complex needs are directed to appropriate support”.
A spokesman for the Home Office said: “We want to ensure our communities feel safe and secure.
“That’s why, through our Anti-Social Behaviour Plan, we introduced a package of new measures to better equip the police and local authorities to respond to nuisance begging and rough sleeping, which can be harmful to individuals themselves and to the wider public.”
In September, the UK Government was warned by the Kerslake Commission, a panel of 36 experts, that it was not on target to meet its goal of ending rough sleeping by the next general election, which must take place by January 2025.
It published its Ending Rough Sleeping For Good strategy in September 2022 in which it restated a 2019 manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament.
Monthly breakdown
The Welsh Government publishes a monthly breakdown of the number of rough sleepers by local authority.
Last month it reported that at 31 August 2023, there were an estimated 167 individuals sleeping rough throughout Wales.
This is 7 fewer than the 174 individuals sleeping rough at 31 July 2023. Local authorities are asked to base these estimates on local intelligence, not a one-night count.
Cardiff (43), Newport (31), Pembrokeshire (18), Ceredigion (13), Gwynedd (10) and Swansea (10) were the local authorities reporting the highest numbers of individuals sleeping rough. All other local authorities reported 9, or fewer, individuals sleeping rough, with five local authorities reporting zero.
Figures published earlier this year showed that the number of people estimated to be sleeping rough in England had risen for the first time since 2017.
A snapshot of a single night in autumn last year found 3,069 people sleeping rough, up 626 (26%) on the equivalent total for 2021 and nearly three-quarters (74%) above the level in 2010 when the figures were first recorded.
Protesters call on Suella Braverman to stop ‘stirring up hatred and fear’
Protesters outside the Home Office in central London (Victoria Jones/PA)
By George Lithgow and Kristina Wemyss, PA
Protesters have called on the Home Secretary Suella Braverman to stop “stirring up hatred and fear”.
A group of campaigners gathered outside the Home Office in Westminster on Saturday in opposition to Ms Braverman’s comments on refugees and tents in public spaces.
Weyman Bennett, co-convenor of Stand Up To Racism said the Home Secretary should “put some handcuffs on herself and hand herself in to the nearest police station”.
The group of peaceful protesters called for Ms Braverman to “stop the hate” as they heard speeches, sang songs and chanted outside the Home Office in central London.
The Home Secretary is currently on a visit to the Greek island of Samos, and said on Saturday she wants to put a stop to the “nuisance and distress” caused by homeless people pitching tents on public streets.
Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, she said: “We will always support those who are genuinely homeless. But we cannot allow our streets to be taken over by rows of tents occupied by people, many of them from abroad, living on the streets as a lifestyle choice.”
She warned Britain is at risk of becoming like “San Francisco and Los Angeles … where weak policies have led to an explosion of crime, drug taking, and squalor”.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman during a visit to the Greek border with Turkey in Alexandroupolis (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire
Speaking at the protest, Mr Bennett told the PA news agency: “If you’re a refugee you have a right to claim asylum, if you’re homeless and you’re freezing to death, a tent is a good idea.”
He added: “She should put some handcuffs on herself and hand herself in to the nearest police station.”
James Cox from the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said: “It’s really important that the people who are doing the work have their voices heard. We want to run an immigration system that cares for the most vulnerable.
“Our members felt strongly that their job in the Channel was to actually rescue people, not to try and create a dangerous environment.”
The group of peaceful protesters condemn Suella Braverman’s rhetoric (Victoria Jones/PA)
On the Home Secretary’s comments on tents in public spaces, Mr Cox said: “There’s a political aim to dehumanise people and create a scapegoat in society. These people are the most vulnerable, our aim should be to make sure they can integrate into society.”
In a statement, the PCS said the protest was “against the use of scapegoating language by the Government, and in particular Home Secretary Suella Braverman, that is stirring up hatred and fear, creating division and opening the door to racists and the far right”.
‘Homelessness is never a lifestyle choice’: Big Issue’s reaction to Suella Braverman comments
Nothing will be achieved by “punishing people for being homeless” says Big Issue founder Lord Bird
STEVEN MACKENZIE
4 Nov 2023
Rough sleeping is never a “lifestyle choice”. Image: Michael Coghlan / Flickr
Home secretary Suella Braverman sparked controversy (again) by claiming today that rough sleepers were making a “lifestyle choice”.
She posted on X/Twitter earlier today: “We cannot allow our streets to be taken over by rows of tents occupied by people, many of them from abroad, living on the streets as a lifestyle choice.”
Braverman added: “What I want to stop, and what the law-abiding majority wants us to stop, is those who cause nuisance and distress to other people by pitching tents in public spaces, aggressively begging, stealing, taking drugs, littering, and blighting our communities.”
Big Issue has this response:
Homelessness is never a lifestyle choice. We should be empowering people to get off the streets and into safe and stable housing, with the right health and wellbeing support and earning and employment opportunities.
We won’t achieve this by punishing people for being homeless.
The Big Issue creates opportunities for people experiencing homelessness and people affected by poverty in multiple ways, we provide vendors with an opportunity to earn through selling the Big Issue magazine, we provide people facing barriers to work access to employment opportunities through Big Issue Recruit and through Big Issue Invest we invest in organisations providing core solutions to end poverty.
We support the individuals we work through our frontline service team to access basic services such as housing, health and wellbeing and financial and digital skills training.
Sign our petitionWe're calling on the Prime Minister to take urgent action to keep the 9 million UK renters living in poverty from falling into homelessness. Will you join the fight?
Appearing on BBC Radio 4 to speak about the comments, Big Issue founder Lord Bird said: “What really struck me, when I was walking around the West End the other night about 11 o’clock, is that I didn’t see Suella going around with her clipboard talking to people. So the Home Office must have an enormous bank of data where they’ve gone around and talked to people about their lifestyle choices.
“This spurious form of statement, I don’t know where she’s getting it from. I don’t think it makes the government look good when they’re allowed to say this kind of thing.
“I’ve heard this all before. It comes up when elections come up, unfortunately.”
Lord Bird continued: “Here is a social problem, people ending up on the streets. And if you don’t solve it as a social problem, it often becomes a law and order problem. Then all they do is exacerbate the problems rather than try to address the social problems in the first instance.”
Recently Big Issue reported on the Labour and Conservative party conferences. One of our vendors, Will Payne was invited to speak at both. He shared his experiences with us, and passed on the sentiments of many Tory delegates he spoke to, which suggests the comments of the home secretary might not be shared by all members of the party.
“There’s a message they give me to pass on to Big Issue readers,” Will wrote. “They are shocked by [Suella Braverman’s] language about migrants. Her inflammatory language is affecting them all. They say, every time she opens her mouth, a Tory seat loses 2,000 votes.”
Moving on to targeting people experiencing homelessness today, demonstrating horrifying levels of ignorance about the issue, the home secretary may have lost her party thousands of more votes.
If you want to find out more about the issue, check out the below:
‘Homelessness is a lifestyle choice’, says Braverman. Yeah. Right. Letter to the editor
Despite the vindictiveness continually meted out by this government to migrants, poor people, sick people, people on benefits (the list is endless), if someone hadn’t told me about Suella Braverman’s latest wheeze, I wouldn’t have believed it. The Financial Times (£) says that Braverman “seeks to curb rough sleepers by restricting use of tents on the streets”.
Please think about that for a moment.
The Guardian carries the same story and quotes the FT’s statement that charities could be fined for giving tents to homeless people. The plans are said to have been put forward for consideration as part of a new criminal justice bill to be outlined in the King’s speech. ‘Justifying’ the proposals to the FT, the Home Office is reported to have claimed – with its usual twisted logic – that it wants “to ensure communities feel safe and secure”. So if their tents are taken away, presumably there will be some alternative ‘bricks and mortar’ accommodation offered to rough sleepers, so that they don’t need to go on cluttering up the shop doorways and making communities feel insecure?
I’m joking, of course.
Just today I received an appeal leaflet from ShelterBox; the headline is “A tent keeps a family together”. For many people around the world, a tent – associated in prosperous Western minds with holidays, festivals, fun – offers so much more than just protection from the elements. It represents property, a defined space of one’s own, somewhere to keep an eye on the children and one’s meagre belongings, a degree more safety perhaps. It offers privacy and a level of dignity which, if you are absolutely on your uppers in whichever country, must be hard to find otherwise.
Against the background of the terrible events in the Middle East, here in the UK we are approaching Remembrance Sunday, and Braverman – keen to garner the votes of GB News viewers and the like – has apparently expressed concern that Remembrance events might be disrupted by pro-Palestinian demonstrations. It’s ironic, then, that if her initiative becomes law, it will almost certainly condemn many ex-service personnel to having to continue to sleep rough without even a tent to keep the rain off. Despite Johnny Mercer’s assertion in parliament in March 2023 that ‘Operation Fortitude’ would end veteran homelessness by the end of the year, many former service personnel are still thought to be sleeping rough; but reliable figures are hard to come by. If, for example, you don’t have a home, you don’t appear in the census.
Rough sleeping must be awful, probably far beyond the imagination of most of us, although Braverman seems to think people don’t have to end up on the streets: she says it’s a “lifestyle choice”. The legacy of George Osborne’s austerity drive has been compounded by the meanness of successive Conservative governments (not to mention the waste and corruption over which they’ve presided); social housing is in appallingly short supply and now that the cost of living crisis is also upon us, rents are clearly rising beyond what many people can scrape together. The country is sliding further into Dickensian levels of poverty. And that will lead, inexorably, to more people losing their homes and ending up on the streets.
It’s not a lifestyle choice when your government makes it for you.
Anna Andrews
Axminster
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