Shadow Treasury Minister witnesses the shocking truth about homelessness in Salford

Rebecca Long-Bailey on the streets of Salford [Image: Manchester Evening News].

Rebecca Long-Bailey on the streets of Salford [Image: Manchester Evening News].

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Shadow Treasury Minister and one of Labour’s rising stars, pointed out that the UK is one of the world’s richest economies – yet leaves its citizens to freeze on the streets.

She said things have to change and she is right – but what’s required is a fundamental change of attitude, away from Tory “everyone for themselves” thinking and towards an attitude that admits that we all depend on each other.

Throwing people onto the streets is a waste; they are more valuable to the economy – and to the community – if they are living in affordable homes, have paying jobs and are able to contribute.

But Tories can’t see that. Can you?

Salford’s mayor dubbed Greater Manchester’s homelessness crisis a ‘disgrace’ as he searched the streets for rough sleepers in the freezing early hours.

Paul Dennett was joined by MP Rebecca Long-Bailey for the city’s annual homeless count – and said he was horrified at what they found.

From a 19-year-old man sleeping rough in a park for more than three months – to another man slipping in and out of consciousness, barely covered by a blanket in the street, they said the exercise was ‘soul destroying’.

Town halls, by law, have to send out a team of volunteers walk the streets each year to count the number of rough sleepers.

Source: Salford’s mayor didn’t believe the homeless figures so did his own count – what he found was shocking – Manchester Evening News

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5 Comments

  1. jeffrey davies November 14, 2016 at 1:20 pm - Reply

    christians hay they call themselves our government yet christian they aint but alass the poor pay heavy price for their greedie ways of the tories

  2. casalealex November 14, 2016 at 9:15 pm - Reply

    “Town halls, by law, have to send out a team of volunteers walk the streets each year to count the number of rough sleepers.”

    Why?

    • Dez November 15, 2016 at 10:16 am - Reply

      interesting it is a team of volunteers…not a team of town hall officials who probably helped put them on the street in the first place. Also good to see an MP getting their hands dirty and going out on the streets to actually find out how things are in the real world. Not sure you will
      see many caring Tory MPs crawling on the streets…..unless of course they have other needs.

    • Steven November 15, 2016 at 4:18 pm - Reply

      They should open the town halls to the homeless

  3. WebEd November 15, 2016 at 12:26 pm - Reply

    I met Rebecca L-B on Friday when I went to speak at Labour’s disability equality launch in Manchester, and she was tired, but some of the stories she told were shocking. One man they found under some bushes, soaking wet and trying to sleep was too scared to go to a shelter because of the drugs and alcohol users who’d be there.
    Tory UK is such a caring place.

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