For more than 10 years, MP for the Cities of London & Westminster, Nickie Aiken, has worked to secure more services, resources, and powers to end rough sleeping.
Currently, the 1828 Vagrancy Act criminalises the most vulnerable in our society, and Nickie is leading the campaign for its repeal.
Nickie raised her calls with the new Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, Michael Gove MP and she welcomes his agreement, saying the Vagrancy Act "has to go".
Nickie will continue making the case until we rid ourselves of this antiquated legislation. Show your support, and back Nickie's campaign.
Speaking in the Chamber, Nickie said,
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Secretary of State will be aware, I am working with Peers, other members of this Place, and charities to secure the repeal of the Vagrancy Act, which criminalises rough sleepers, doesn't help them.
"As my constituency is home to the largest number of rough sleepers in the country, the former Secretary of State said in this House in February to an answer to a question of mine, that he thought the Vagrancy Act should be resigned to history. Can I ask what the current Secretary of State thinks of the Vagrancy Act?"
Responding, Secretary of State, Michael Gove MP said,
"I think the Vagrancy Act has to go. I think that we need appropriate legislation, however, to deal with examples of aggressive begging, but the most important thing to recognise is that the work that our Westminster Council, and indeed, Greater Manchester, have done in order to reduce rough sleeping has been exemplary, and in partnership with my honourable friend, the Minister for Rough Sleeping, we must redouble our efforts, but I want to congratulate our Rachael Robathan, her successor, and also Andy Burnham for their success in dealing with rough sleeping in the hotspots which have suffered most from that phenomenon."
