Rishi Sunak has declined an offer to repeat Suella Braverman’s claim that homelessness is sometimes a lifestyle choice.
The prime minister joined several senior Conservatives in distancing himself from his home secretary’s comments, although he stopped short of criticising her.
It follows condemnation from charities over Braverman’s plans to establish a civil offence to deter charities from giving tents to homeless people.
Asked by broadcasters if the language was “offensive” on a visit to a gas terminal on Monday, Sunak said: “I don’t want anyone to sleep rough on our streets.
“That’s why the government is investing £2bn 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.” He declined an offer to repeat her comments.
Home Office plans that emerged over the weekend show charities could be fined for handing out tents. It is understood the plans have been pitched for inclusion in the king’s speech, which will set out the UK government’s legislative agenda on Tuesday.
The potential law would also seek to prevent the obstruction of shop doorways by rough sleepers who are using tents, the Financial Times said.
The senior Tory backbencher Richard Bacon, the vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on homelessness, said many homeless people were in no position to make any choices.
“I was surprised by her [Braverman’s] comments. Many of the homeless have other serious problems including alcoholism, substance abuse and mental health issues and they’re often not really in a position to make choices at all – and even those who are will often need help and guidance to make the right choices,” he said.
Widely perceived to be part of a long-term strategy to lead the Conservative party, Braverman wrote on X on Sunday: “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 continued: “There are options for people who don’t want to be sleeping rough, and the government is working with local authorities to strengthen wraparound support including treatment for those with drug and alcohol addiction.
“What I want to stop, and what the law-abiding majority wants us to stop, is those who cause nuisance and distress to other people by pitching tents in public spaces, aggressively begging, stealing, taking drugs, littering, and blighting our communities.”
Earlier on Monday, the energy secretary, Claire Coutinho, said she “wouldn’t necessarily use” the language the home secretary had used to talk about homelessness.
“Before I came to parliament I did a lot of work in social justice. I actually worked with people who were homeless, and I think the reasons that people get into that position are complex and very varied, so I wouldn’t necessarily use the language of ‘lifestyle choice’,” she told Times Radio.
Sunak last month refused to repeat Braverman’s claims, delivered in a keynote speech to the Conservative party conference, that a “hurricane” of migrants was coming to the UK and that the country faced an “invasion”.
He also refused to repeat claims by Braverman that multiculturalism was a “misguided dogma” that had allowed people to “live parallel lives”. Instead, Sunak told the BBC:“I think this is something that is incredible about our country, is that it is a fantastic multi-ethnic democracy. ”
