Housing secretary appears to contradict recent claim that increase is due to other factorsThe housing secretary, James Brokenshire, has admitted Conservative policies may be to blame for rising levels of homelessness, appearing to row back on a statement he made earlier this month. But on Monday, speaking to the website Politico, the minister acknowledged that Tory policies may have played a role in the huge increase in rough sleeping since 2010. The number of people sleeping rough has more than doubled since 2010 to 4,751, according to government figures. The interview appeared to contradict his remarks earlier this month, when the minister said rising homelessness was not a political failure. “I don’t see it in those terms,” Brokenshire said.

Source: The Guardian December 24, 2018 15:49 UTC