Socialist Worker

'Let her try living on the streets'

Issue No. 1673

'TELL HER to come down here and spend just one night. That's all I can say. And let me have her house for a night.' Those are the words of Ian, who is 18 and homeless, in response to the government's so called 'homelessness tsar', Louise Casey. New Labour is not content with attacking disabled people, those on benefits, asylum seekers and 'squeegee merchants'.

Casey says life on the streets is too easy. She says soup runs are encouraging people to sleep rough. 'You can get better sleeping bags on the Strand than you can buy in the camping shop Blacks,' says Casey. Is there any compassion in this government or its friends?

'I ran away from home,' says Ian. 'I just had enough, but I had nowhere to go. So I went to Charing Cross station. I sat there for about five hours. I was too scared to speak to anyone. I was freezing. I didn't have a clue what to do or how to get help. I feel sick on the streets. Look at the waste ground that's around. The government could do something with that. They could build flats for people instead of having a go at us.'


Article information

Sat 20 Nov 1999, 00:00 GMT
Issue No. 1673
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