Sleeping on the streets
Sir: Mark Palmer claims that ‘homelessness is hardly a top government priority’ (‘Home truths’, 1 December). I was disappointed to read this, given the ambition of this government to make rough sleeping a thing of the past.
As I have said previously in this magazine, we are committed to supporting people off the streets and have committed £1.2 billion to tackle all forms of homelessness. We are working tirelessly to end rough sleeping by 2027 and have outlined our long-term plan — backed by £100 million — to get people into a safe and secure home where they can rebuild their lives. We have also dedicated £28 million to the innovative Housing First pilots, and I am delighted to say the first residents supported by the scheme are moving into their new homes in the coming weeks.
But this funding is just the beginning. I have also placed a new duty on councils so that they are legally required to not just provide support for the homeless, but to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place. No one is predestined to spend their life on the street, and the cost in terms of broken lives is unacceptable.
Tackling homelessness across the country will continue to be one of our top priorities as we look towards a future where no one has to sleep on our streets.
James Brokenshire
Communities Secretary, London SW1
Fear of Corbyn
Sir: Hats off to Ross Clark for his timely highlighting of the perils of a Corbyn-led government (‘The Corbyn effect’, 1 December). For those who remember the 1970s, the spectre of an unreconstructed far-left socialist and his acolyte ensconced as neighbours in Downing Street is a terrifying yet wearyingly predictable scenario. Unfettered by opposition, they would see Britain’s economy as being ripe for experimentation.
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