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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Tory MP in homelessness 'stunt' | Tory MP in homelessness 'stunt' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The Tory housing spokesman has spent Christmas Eve sleeping in a London street to highlight homelessness. | The Tory housing spokesman has spent Christmas Eve sleeping in a London street to highlight homelessness. |
| MP Grant Shapps tried to sleep in a car park but was moved on after being told it was private property. | MP Grant Shapps tried to sleep in a car park but was moved on after being told it was private property. |
| He admitted the night was a publicity stunt but called for the government to provide more social housing. | He admitted the night was a publicity stunt but called for the government to provide more social housing. |
| Housing Minister Iain Wright said it would "simply remind everyone of the Tory years when thousands of people slept rough in boxes in doorways". | Housing Minister Iain Wright said it would "simply remind everyone of the Tory years when thousands of people slept rough in boxes in doorways". |
| Homeless children | |
| Mr Shapps, who is MP for Welwyn Hatfield in Hertfordshire, slept in a sleeping bag on a layer of cardboard. | Mr Shapps, who is MP for Welwyn Hatfield in Hertfordshire, slept in a sleeping bag on a layer of cardboard. |
| He was accompanied by a constituent who once spent a year living on the streets after being thrown out of home at the age of 14. | He was accompanied by a constituent who once spent a year living on the streets after being thrown out of home at the age of 14. |
| Speaking on Christmas Eve, Mr Shapps said: "It's a publicity stunt but if people on Christmas Day are talking about homelessness, which is an all-year-round problem, then it's served its purpose. | Speaking on Christmas Eve, Mr Shapps said: "It's a publicity stunt but if people on Christmas Day are talking about homelessness, which is an all-year-round problem, then it's served its purpose. |
| People think the housing ladder begins with getting your first mortgage, but it begins with people sleeping on the streets Grant ShappsConservative housing spokesman | |
| "There are 130,000 homeless children this Christmas - it's doubled in a decade and two or three times as many people sleeping rough as the official Government figures recognise. So I think there's a housing crisis out there. | |
| "I spent the day in a homeless hostel speaking to very long-term rough sleepers. You need to look at the transition, from sleeping rough to a hostel and eventually moving into rented accommodation. | "I spent the day in a homeless hostel speaking to very long-term rough sleepers. You need to look at the transition, from sleeping rough to a hostel and eventually moving into rented accommodation. |
| "People think the housing ladder begins with getting your first mortgage, but it begins with people sleeping on the streets. The biggest thing required is more social housing units." | "People think the housing ladder begins with getting your first mortgage, but it begins with people sleeping on the streets. The biggest thing required is more social housing units." |
| Mr Wright dismissed the "publicity stunt" by saying that Labour had met its target to cut the numbers rough sleeping by a third by 2002, as well as investing millions in help such as hostels. | Mr Wright dismissed the "publicity stunt" by saying that Labour had met its target to cut the numbers rough sleeping by a third by 2002, as well as investing millions in help such as hostels. |
| He said: "Rough sleeping and families in temporary accommodation have dropped substantially as a result of Labour policies to undo the damage of the Tory years. | He said: "Rough sleeping and families in temporary accommodation have dropped substantially as a result of Labour policies to undo the damage of the Tory years. |
| "If Mr Shapps wants to get serious about cutting homelessness further he should stop campaigning against the new homes we need," Mr Wright said. | "If Mr Shapps wants to get serious about cutting homelessness further he should stop campaigning against the new homes we need," Mr Wright said. |