In 2010 the number of rough sleepers in England was 1,768, a figure that rose to 4,134 by the time Osborne left his position as chancellor in 2016
George Osborne has denied that his austerity programme as chancellor was responsible for Britain’s homelessness crisis, despite figures showing a huge increase in rough sleeping since 2010.
During an appearance on the Today programme, Osborne was asked if his spending cuts had caused an increase in homelessness, he replied: “No, I entirely reject that.”
“It’s not a lack of money. That’s not a consequence of austerity – that’s just a consequence of bad policy,” Osborne added.
Official figures show that the number of rough sleepers in England when David Cameron’s coalition government took power in 2010 was 1,768, a figure that rose to 4,134 by the time Osborne left his position as chancellor in 2016. In 2017 that figure rose again to 4,751.
Christmas can be the hardest time for homeless people, this is the story of how one man is rebuilding his life. pic.twitter.com/6uQaNG5Rue
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) December 21, 2018
There was also an increase in homeless families housed by local authorities in temporary accommodation, rising from 50,000 in 2010 to 78,000 in 2017. A British Medical Journal report this year concluded that “austerity policies lie at heart of soaring homelessness and related health harms”.
However, Osborne – who took up the position of London Evening Standard editor last year, despite having no prior experience – said that people “in wealthy Kensington” where the newspaper’s offices are located, were more likely to stop him in the street to take issue with tax increases and removing tax breaks for “non-domicile” residents.
He also described a general election as “an under-reported likelihood for 2019”, saying the country was heading for a “confrontation between leaving the European Union without a deal” and “either a delay or a return to the public on the question on Brexit”.
“That return to the public can either be a referendum or a general election,” Osborne added.
“In my view, a general election is at the moment an underreported likelihood for 2019, because in the British system the simplest way to resolve political impasses has been to return to the public at a general election.
“There is a way, of course, for the government to avoid that – the Conservative government is of course terrified of an election – they can themselves embrace a referendum, and that’s clearly under discussion in Downing Street even though it’s denied.”
