Andy Burnham has pledged to give every person sleeping rough a route off the streets by Christmas as he unveiled the first steps in his drive to end rough sleeping in England.
The prime minister announced that new accommodation and support will be rolled out across England this winter based on the A Bed Every Night model he pioneered as Greater Manchester mayor.
Emergency accommodation will be made available alongside help with housing, health and other needs to help people out of homelessness, backed with increased funding of £442 million.
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“We did it in the pandemic. We can do it again. But it needs all of us. Government will put the money in. But I’m asking leaders in communities and sectors across society to play their part locally too.
“Let’s get people out of the cold. And let’s bring back hope.”
The government claimed the new policy will “not only change lives but have huge benefits for the whole country” citing research from Crisis that suggests preventing 40,000 people from becoming homeless for a year could save taxpayers around £370 million.
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There’s some incredible double-think involved in politicians making promises they know will fail but doing it anyway because the good optics now minus the bad optics then is a net positive by just being in the media saying nice things.
Sunak knew he’d not stop the boats, but he said it anyway.
Boris Johnson knew he’d not build 40 new hospitals but he said it anyway.
Burnham knows he won’t get all rough sleepers off the streets in five months, but he said it anyway.
We’re perpetually governed by people who calculate that lying for good press now and being caught in that lie later is worth more than not lying in the first place.
Ending rough sleeping is a completely practical goal. The idea that its a natural and inevitable part of daily life originated in Thatcher’s time and is one of the reasons its so common nowadays, it allows people to become apathetic toward it.
I think its a great idea to rebuild a sense of community using a national drive based in empathy for other human beings, not insular hostility like “stop the boats” was.
Add to that “Smash The Gangs” by Starmer.
About the only accurate thing he said was that his dad was a tool maker and his mother was a nurse. Did you know that? Had to look it up.
No way! Is this how I find out!!!
His dad definitely made a tool
his dad certainly made a tool