New penalties for homeless people at a time of rising destitution would be the ugliest politics. The repealers must prevail
The 1824 Vagrancy Act, passed into law under the Tory government of Lord Liverpool during the period of domestic unrest and repression that followed the Napoleonic wars, was not shy about its targets. Under the general heading of “idle and disorderly Persons, and Rogues and Vagabonds”, it took in fortune tellers, “every Common Prostitute” and anyone exposing “Wounds or Deformities to obtain or gather alms”. Such people, including penniless former soldiers and sailors, were to be imprisoned and sentenced to hard labour.
Five years ago, when a charity-led campaign to repeal this antiquated legislation began to gather momentum, the former Metropolitan police chief Lord Hogan-Howe was among those who voiced support. The view that dealing with rough sleeping was the police’s job was “firmly rooted in 1824”, he said. Frontline outreach and homelessness services should take over. In 2022, ministers promised £8.8m in funding for homeless military veterans, who are still disproportionately likely to end up on the streets.
