Tory MP Urges Government to Drop Threat to Criminalise Rough Sleepers

Bob Blackman is one of around 40 Tory MPs threatening to vote against a clause in the ‘unacceptable’ Criminal Justice Bill.

Homeless people sleeping rough in London on Jan. 16, 2020. PA

A Conservative MP has urged the government to think again about a plan to criminalise rough sleepers.

Bob Blackman is believed to be one of around 40 Tory MPs threatening to vote against a clause in the Criminal Justice Bill which would give the police the power to fine or move on “nuisance” rough sleepers.

Mr. Blackman told The Times, “A lot of colleagues believe that the bill as it stands is completely unacceptable because it would have the effect of criminalising people who have no choice but to sleep on the streets.”

In 2022, the government promised to repeal the 1824 Vagrancy Act, which is still in place and makes it a criminal offence to beg or sleep in the open.

Measures in the Criminal Justice Bill—introduced by Suella Braverman when she was home secretary—were supposed to supersede the 19th-century legislation.

Ms. Braverman was criticised at the time for saying rough sleepers was a “lifestyle choice” for many people.

Critics on the left wing of the Conservative Party say the measures introduced by Ms. Braverman are too draconian and would target people with nowhere to live.

Mr. Blackman has tabled two amendments to the act.

One of them says police officers are advised, “begging or sleeping rough does not in itself amount to unreasonable conduct” and they “should balance protection of the community with sensitivity to the problems that cause people to engage in begging or sleeping rough.”

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former leader of the Tory party, and former minister Damian Green have signed Mr. Blackman’s amendments.

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake said on Monday the government used several support measures to prevent rough sleeping.

Mr. Hollinrake was asked on Times Radio if he supported the legislation as it stands, said: “Those things are not within my auspices. I will be interested to see the legislation as it goes through and what the prime minister has planned.”

Asked if it was right to arrest a homeless person for rough sleeping, Mr. Hollinrake said, “What is the most important thing is we provide the resources to get people off the streets and there should be those places where people can go to.”

“I don’t think that should be … that shouldn’t be optional for people, if there are places that people can go to off the streets, then those people should be off the streets, they shouldn’t be lying on the streets. It is not fair to other people in our town and city centres,” he added.

The Liberal Democrats have urged the government to water down the legislation.

Lib Dem MP Layla Moran said, “The heartless proposals in the Criminal Justice Bill risk bringing back the Vagrancy Act by the back door.”

She said, “The government should listen to their own backbenchers and take a compassionate approach to tackling homelessness, instead of stigmatising and criminalising rough sleepers.”

‘Sleeping Rough is not a Lifestyle Choice’

Ms. Moran, who represents Oxford West and Abingdon, said: “Sleeping rough is not a lifestyle choice. Ministers should focus on tackling the root causes of this crisis, not scapegoating the victims of it.”

Matt Downie, chief executive of the homelessness charity Crisis, called on Home Secretary James Cleverly to “drop these cruel and unnecessary measures and focus on the real solutions” including building more homes.

He said, “It should never have been government policy to criminalise rough sleeping, so we would be thrilled to see the back of these deeply-damaging proposals that will do nothing to support people away from the streets.”

PA Media contributed to this report.