Labour would double the number of homes ‘ring-fenced’ for homeless people if elected, the party announced today.

Shadow housing secretary, John Healey, pledged Labour would end rough sleeping within its first term in government by renewing a housing scheme started in 1991.

Under the plan, 4,000 permanent new reserved flats or houses would be created through the Clearing House scheme in cities such as Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester.

Mr Healey said: ‘Under the last Labour government, years of sustained action brought rough sleeping right down, but it has doubled since 2010.

‘A Labour government would put a stop to this national shame and provide homeless people with a place to call home and rebuild their lives.’

The new homes would let at ‘genuinely affordable’ social rents, and would only be available for people who are eligible for social housing.