On Monday, Rishi Sunak distanced himself from the Home Secretary’s assertion that rough sleeping can be a “lifestyle choice,” but refrained from directly criticising her remarks. The Prime Minister faced questions about whether Suella Braverman’s language was “offensive”, as she suggested imposing restrictions on tent usage in public streets to address homelessness.
Labour MPs and charitable organisations strongly condemned Braverman’s comments, while cabinet minister Claire Coutinho also distanced herself from the statement, indicating she would have used different language.
The Government’s response
“I don’t want anyone to sleep rough on our streets,” Mr Sunak said during a visit to Bacton Gas Terminal in Norfolk on Monday,
“That’s why the Government is investing £2 billion over the next few years to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. I’m pleased that the number of people sleeping rough is down by a third since the peak, but of course there is more to do. Our Homelessness Reduction Act, which is a landmark law that we passed, has already ensured that over 600,000 people have had their homelessness prevented or relieved. So I’m proud of that record. But of course there is more to do and we’ll keep going so that nobody has to sleep rough on our streets.”
Earlier Claire Coutinho stated “I would not have used necessarily those words” and added “before I came into Parliament I spent a lot of time in social justice working with people who had very complicated issues in their lives. The really important issue is we want people to have a roof over their head. We want people to be able to get the help and support that they need, often when people are homeless, particularly for a long time, they become entrenched in that position. There are other things going on, it might be addiction issues for example, it might be relationships breakdown in their lives.”
She insisted that Suella Braverman was referring to a different group of individuals, often with “very complex needs,” which could potentially include mental health issues, and who might decline accommodation.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Ms. Braverman said that the government would always provide assistance to those “truly homeless”. “But we cannot allow our streets to be taken over by rows of tents occupied by people, many of them from abroad, living on the streets as a lifestyle choice,” she said.
The Home Secretary argued that if the government did not take action, British cities would “go the way of places in the US like San Francisco and Los Angeles, where weak policies have led to an explosion of crime, drug taking, and squalor.”
Criticism
On the other hand, the founder of The Big Issue magazine urged for “grown-up thinking” about homelessness. Lord John Bird emphasised that when homelessness is not tackled as a social issue, it eventually escalates into a law enforcement problem.
He said: “If the root causes of poverty and homelessness had been addressed decades ago, you wouldn’t have this need transferred to the streets of the UK. We need grown-up thinking rather than responding to the issue with a policy that infers homelessness is a law and order offence, which Suella Braverman is doing here. Street homelessness is rarely a lifestyle choice, it’s a sign of a lack of governmental policy that seeks to address the fundamental flaws in our system and means people inevitably fall into the sticky stuff and can’t claw their way out again”.
“I have a Bill going through for the creation of a Ministry of Poverty Prevention, which will draw political minds together to produce a finer level of thinking, focusing on the area of prevention and ways in which we can tackle these problems head on.”
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “Rough sleeping is not ‘a lifestyle choice’.” She attributed the rise in homelessness to 13 years of Conservative government. Ms. Braverman also faced criticism from the homelessness charity Shelter. “Let’s make it clear: living on the streets is not a ‘lifestyle choice’ – it is a sign of failed government policy,” it said.
Final thought
The controversy surrounding Suella Braverman’s “lifestyle choice” remark brings to the forefront the intricate nature of homelessness. While Rishi Sunak’s investments and the Homelessness Reduction Act signal progress, we must acknowledge that homelessness isn’t a one-size-fits-all issue.
Lord John Bird’s plea for “grown-up thinking” underscores the importance of addressing homelessness as a social concern, not merely a law enforcement problem. Angela Rayner and Shelter rightly emphasise that homelessness is not a choice but a result of systemic failures that we must tackle.
In this ongoing dialogue, we must prioritise compassion, understanding, and comprehensive solutions. Our words and actions should mirror our values and our unwavering commitment to addressing this urgent issue, ensuring that no one has to sleep rough on our streets.