The Vagrancy Act makes it an offence to sleep rough or beg. In 2018 there were 1,320 prosecutions in England and Wales.
This archaic law criminalises the simple fact of being homeless and should be a national source of shame. Scotland & Ireland scrapped this outdated law decades ago.
But the Conservatives are refusing to commit to anything more than hold a 'review'.
The Liberal Democrats demand better for people who are homeless. We should be caring for people who end up on the streets and treating them with compassion, not locking them up.
I/We the undersigned demand the government repeal the Vagrancy Act and treat homeless people with the compassion they deserve.
