We need to scrap the Vagrancy Act
This week, the Office for National Statistics published a shocking set of figures. They show that 726 homeless people died in 2018 - a 22% increase since 2017.
This is an epidemic that is claiming far too many lives, and the Conservative Government is completely failing to get to grips with it. This is an epidemic that is claiming far too many lives
We must protect the most vulnerable people in our society, but instead the Tories are sitting on their hands.
Their "out of sight, out of mind" mentality needs to stop now. People are dying, and we need to take a more compassionate approach to end this homelessness crisis.
The Liberal Democrats demand better.
We need to scrap the Vagrancy Act. It's a cruel, Dickensian law that criminalises people just for sleeping rough.
That's why I have brought forward a Private Members' Bill that would repeal it.
The Government should be helping vulnerable people out of homelessness, not fining them and locking them up.
The Liberal Democrats will build the social housing and provide the support people need. That's how we can prevent rough sleeping and stop people dying on our streets.
