‘Don’t give money to the homeless’ says millionaire Tory Party Chairman – Mirror
The increase in homelessness in London over the past few years, according to CHAIN (Combined Homelessness and Information Network), an organisation funded by the Greater London Authority.
On the day Vox Political tries to help a campaign providing constructive support for a homeless person, this clown has to pipe up with his nonsense.
Grant Shapps (that seems to be his name today) said he would not give money to people sleeping rough as “you don’t know how that support is going to be used”, according to this Mirror article.
In that case, he should be a huge supporter of the campaign to help Dean, who has cerebral palsy, find a place to live.
You can read Shapps’s words on the Mirror website and on the face of it, he seems to be advocating the kind of support that’s being set up for Dean.
But to believe that, you would have to forget that Shapps is co-chairman of a political party that actively creates homelessness.
Just look at the graph (above) and see how the number of people sleeping rough in London has increased since the Tories took office in 2010.
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Well two fingers to that millionaire moron, I’ve just done that which he won’t do because I’m a human with compassion which is an attribute he is obviously devoid of.
See my letter to Grant Shapps, accusing him of publicly lying about the bedroom tax policy (http://twishort.com/UAthc ) and the reply that I received from his office (http://twishort.com/zcuhc ).
May I just reiterate the above comment please? Such a “person” is not fit to represent us and should not be in parliament. Incidentally he doesn’t represent me or anyone I care to associate with.
Bloody avaricious fool, they don’t want money, like you and your mob do, all they want is somewhere to live.
I suggest that what Shapps ıs sayıng ıs ıf you wısh to help then channel any donatıons through a recognısed organısatıon. Thıs ıs sensıble and, havıng lıved for several years ın Bangkok and seen how not only are such loose change ın the pocket offerıng mısused by the recıpıents but also the numerous scams I whıle I am not sayıng the sıtuatıon ın some of the maın cıtıes ın the UK ıs ıdentıcal I would certaınly hesııtate before puttıng coıns ın the beggıng bowl
I would suggest, too, that the Mırror headlıne ıs somewhat at varıance wıth the maın poınt of the artıcle. .
There’s just one problem with that: As explained in the article, Shapps is co-chairman of a political party that has actively endeavoured to increase poverty and homelessness in the UK.
That is the polıtıcally motıvated opinion of the Mırror journalıst and not necessarily shared.
As explained in the Vox Political article, Andy. Evidence bears it out – look at the graph.
Meanıng that the rıses between 2007/08 and 2009/10 when the coalıtıon was not ın power ıs not evıdence that bears out that thıs was a mountıng problem?.
A global financial crisis was happening at the time – but look at the massive increase after the Coalition takes control. That’s where your problem is.
I have no problem.
The global fınancıal crısıs and the aftermath dıd not stop on General Electıon day 2010 and the effcts of ıt were exacerbated by the outgoıng admınıstratıonn’s faılure to be prepared for any form of fınancıal dıfıculty let alone one of thes proportıons and, havıng sold off, for example the gold reserves at rock bottom prıces and raıded people’s pensıons left offıce when famously “there was nothıng left”.
The fıgures ın the graph are almost two years old and the ındıcatıon ıs that homelessness ıs, at least, levellıng out and homeless applıcatıons ın London have decreased by around 7%. That ıs not to say ıt ıs aceptable.
It ıs you that chose to go off topıc – I merely pointed out that what Shapps was sayıng made sense – after all a thousand pounds to one of the organısatıons wıll be far more effectıve than the gıft of one pound each to a thousand dıfferent ındıvıduals. I stand by that.
I suggest that had the co-chaırman of the Conservatıve not been a mıllıonaıre but, say, someone on a mınımum wage, thıs comment ın the Mırror would not have sen the lıght of day.
The outgoing administration is the only one – so far – to have any kind of plan to deal with the financial difficulty into which the UK had fallen, due to the banks. Mr Darling’s expansionary budgets eliminated £38bn from the deficit in two years – a feat that George Osborne has yet to achieve after five years of fumbling. Your comment about the gold reserves is beneath contempt as that matter has been discussed many times on this page. The difference between the “rock bottom prices” you mention and their highest point equates to around three months of George Osborne’s borrowing. Similarly beneath contempt is your reference to the “no money left” quote, which was clearly humorous (if in bad taste). Of course there was money available; the UK is a sovereign country with its own sovereign currency and cannot go bankrupt.
Yes, the figures in the graph are almost two years old. They show a massive increase in homelessness in London after the Tories took power. Statistics are available following this period, although I didn’t find any in graph form and none cover the whole of the UK, which seems deliberately frustrating. In England, the current position (to September 2014) has nearly 14,000 households “accepted as owed a main homelessness duty”, and more than 60,000 households in temporary accommodation. The latter figures have been rising steadily after reaching a low point during 2011; clearly Coalition government policies have exercised this reversal. In London there has not been a seven per cent decrease, although homelessness applications have dropped by a much lower two per cent. Nationally the increase is four per cent, so homelessness continues to rise under the Tory-led Coalition government.
Your opinions are your own; don’t expect anybody else here to sympathise with them.
Not goıng to get ınto an argument wıth you – you clearly see thıngs from a very dıfferent vıewpoınt….and I never look for sympathy only for people wıth open mınds.
I stand by my comment that ıt ıs a more sensıble optıon to fund the organısatıons rather than the ındıvıduals…whıch ıs the nub of the Mırror artıcle and from whıch you devıated.
No I didn’t. The article clearly states that funding organisations that help (actually help, mind – Dean’s story shows that there are those that do not) is the best way forward.
It also states that Grant Shapps belongs to the organisation most directly responsible for increasing homelessness in the UK at this time.
That ıs my poınt – gıvıng to the organısatıons helps more than gıvıng to the ındıvıdual. I am sorry how does the Cnservatıve Homeless Foundatıon and Streetlıne ıncrease homelessness?
You’re asking about organisations that can only possibly behave as sticking plasters on the open wound that is Conservative Party policy – and meanwhile the Tories are busily sawing away, trying to make that wound deeper.
Would anyone know how money given to Shapps will be spent, with his history? They won’t even know the name the guy who receives it will be using the next day..
Come to that, what exactly does Shapps imagine 30p or so in loose change is likely to be spent on, if not a cup of tea? Maybe he worries they’ll use it to buy a few kilos of cocaine? Perhaps he thinks they’ll buy an AK47?
With 30p.
When he’s not telling flagrant lies, he’s just being stupid.
So this foul government has made more people homeless, then cut their benefits and then has the gall to tell the rest of us not to help them out. It is very clear to me that this Government is only serving the interests of the rich and powerful. I think it is high time that all M.P.s in a newly elected government should be compelled to swear an oath of allegiance. They are SUPPOSED to represent ALL people.
Sebastian Fox; Grant Shapps; Michael Green, what is that character’s real name?