Unite turns HQ into emergency shelter for homeless people

Unite has opened its London headquarters as an emergency shelter for rough sleepers.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: “Unite has been proud to help out during these bitter cold nights, but we are under no illusion that so much more needs to be done to tackle this increasing tide of human misery.

“The UK is the sixth biggest economy on the planet; it ought to be capable of putting a roof over the head of every citizen, but the fact that it does not is the direct consequence of failed Conservative austerity policies.

“Today’s latest figures make very depressing reading and Theresa May needs to acknowledge that the harsh austerity regime is not over by a long chalk.

“The people, who slept in camp beds at Unite’s headquarters, have no place to call home, which is a tragic reminder that the government’s continuing cuts are destroying lives.

“I want to thank Unite’s members at St Mungo’s for the incredible work they do to provide help for people in need all the year round, but especially at this time of year, when the weather can be so cruel and unforgiving.

“I also want to thank Sadiq Khan for the work his office does to put roofs over heads and to remind us all that we can’t just walk on by in 2019.”

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said: “No one should be sleeping rough in this freezing weather, which is why our emergency shelters are open across the capital every night the temperature drops to zero, offering rough sleepers somewhere warm to stay and further support to help them off the streets for good.

“As the bitter cold continues, it’s great to see Unite using their office space to provide extra shelter for those in need, and I urge Londoners who are concerned about anyone they see sleeping rough to refer them to StreetLink, so they can get the help they need.”