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PMQs: Jeremy Corbyn accuses May of presiding over a homelessness crisis

Corbyn
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn BBC

  • Corbyn blames Conservatives for "national disgrace" of rising homelessness.
  • The Tories continue to "neglect working-class communities," Corbyn said in PMQs.
  • May defended Conservative record and said Corbyn's Labour would worsen the crisis.

 

LONDON — Jeremy Corbyn today accused Theresa May of presiding over a surge in homelessness and rough sleeping across the UK.

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Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, the Labour leader said that rough sleeping had doubled since the Conservatives came into government, describing the rise as a "national disgrace."

He added that the Grenfell Tower fire, which forced hundreds of people out of their homes, had "shone a light on the neglect of working-class communities," across the country.

Watch Corbyn on the surge in homelessness in the UK

Theresa May insisted that the government was still committed to eliminating homelessness.

"We don't want to see people without a roof over their head," May said.

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"That's why we're committed to halving rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminating it by 2027."

Despite this pledge, the latest figures suggest rough sleeping continues to rise. According to the Chain database, a charity-run information network that records rough sleepers in London, there were 8,108 people sleeping rough in the capital 2016-17 compared to 3,017 in 2007-08. 

However, May said that Labour would make the housing crisis worse, saying that the party were ideologically opposed to people being given the power to buy their own homes.

She cited comments by the Shadow Housing Minister John Healey, who said recently that fewer people owning their own homes "is not a bad thing."

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Corbyn disagreed, telling the prime minister that Labour's record on building new homes far exceeded that of the current government.

Watch May and Corbyn clash on housing

Theresa May
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