The Government will back away from plans to criminalize rough sleeping for nuisance and excessive odor after Conservative MPs threatened to revolt over the proposals.
The plans were originally announced by then Home Secretary Suela Braverman, but were condemned as dehumanizing by homeless charities.
The Criminal Justice Bill, which will be reintroduced in the House of Commons on Wednesday, would give police more powers to crack down on people who are sleeping rough or smelling bad.
Conservative MPs led by Bob Blackmun and Nicky Aiken, including former ministers Iain Duncan Smith and Tracey Crouch, had tabled an amendment to the bill to remove this wording.
But on Monday, Home Secretary James Cleverley said the government would amend the bill to require police and local authorities to provide support services to homeless people before criminal sanctions apply.
Police can pursue charges of anti-social behavior, damage and harassment if a rough sleeper refuses assistance and ignores formal warnings.
Announcing the changes, Mr Cleverley said the government accepted that the bill should also include support provisions. “This government is committed to ending rough sleeping,” he said. “To achieve this, we must take a multifaceted approach to supporting vulnerable people on our streets and ensuring everyone feels safe in their neighborhoods and communities.
“We are repealing outdated vagrancy laws and replacing them with new measures that focus on supporting people, while ensuring police and local authorities are able to deal with behavior that puts the public at risk. The Government is listening and we have worked hard to ensure that these proposals prioritize supporting vulnerable people, while ensuring our communities are safer and better protected. .”
The Home Office announced it would remove references to odor from the bill, saying its original aim was to tackle dumped rubbish and human waste, rather than criminalizing rough sleepers for not being able to wash their clothes. .
The government also calls for the definition of nuisance rough sleeping to be changed from “likely to cause distress” to specifically relate to damage to property and disruption to business.
Braverman announced provisions targeting rough sleepers in widely criticized comments to the effect that rough sleeping is a “lifestyle choice”, in which he said: from overseas. “
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Several ministers distanced themselves from Mr Braverman’s language, with Rishi Sunak refusing to back him. She was dismissed as interior minister shortly thereafter.
Police Minister Chris Phillip said the measures in the bill would still address aggressive begging and intimidating behavior. “No one should be criminalized because they don’t have a place to live, but as we always say, people who engage in anti-social or public behavior, such as rough sleeping that obstructs local shops or fire escapes, “We will not accept acts that intimidate people,” he said. He said.
“I would like to thank Councilor Bob Blackmun and Councilor Nicky Aiken for their dedication and collaboration on this issue. We have worked constructively to ensure vulnerable people are supported while protecting communities from anti-social behavior.”
