‘I urge Sir Keir Starmer to consider making the prevention of poverty and rough sleeping one of the key policy pledges for the next general election’

• I HAVE no doubts whatsoever about the importance and benefits of using the education we receive when we are young to our advantage.

Indeed, Sir Keir Starmer’s recent speech about his Labour Party’s plans to overhaul education was timely and relevant to a growing number of people in the constituency of Holborn and St Pancras.

I’m referring to the people that can often be seen sitting and sleeping on the pavement outside King’s Cross station.

The person I saw the other morning was in a pitiful state and though I normally remain focused on where I am going, the sight of seeing someone sitting on a bed of newspapers at 7am had such a profound effect on my mind, and moved me to seek a cash machine to withdraw some money in order to offer some to the person.

It just so happened that both cash machines on the other side of Euston Road were out of order, so I caught a 91 bus to Caledonian Road, found a cash machine, and withdrew £20. I made my way back to Euston Road and found the person who was lying on the newspapers with closed eyes.

After saying “excuse me”’ several times to get her attention, I gently tapped her shoulder and offered the £20. She expressed her gratitude to me with a sincere “thank you so much” and I was just so overwhelmed with emotion as I crouched and had a heart-to-heart conversation in the light of day as people walked by as usual.

I asked to shake her hand for one last time before wishing her well and making my way back to Wembley Park.

How she came to be homeless I don’t know, but what I am sure about is that individuals like that dear lady shouldn’t be left to get by on the streets of Camden from day to day.

Indeed I believe that Labour should draw up plans and talk to the country about how a future Labour government will attempt to address the issue of rough sleeping.

My hope is to live long enough to eventually see as many of those who are currently sleeping rough receive all the help needed to allow them to get off the streets and eventually into work. That way they will hopefully regain their dignity and be able to live out their lives in a likewise manner.

It’s not fair to write them off as “losers” or “skivers” who choose to use their time to rely on financial handouts from the many people that pass through Euston Road each day.

Effective policy design, that is carefully crafted to enable young people to understand the importance of applying education to achieve their goals, will surely go some way to preventing the kind of poverty that often leads to rough sleeping, mental and physical health issues, low self-esteem, depression, criminal activity, substance abuse and, in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts leading to attempts to end one’s life.

I urge Sir Keir Starmer to consider making the prevention of poverty and rough sleeping one of the key policy pledges for the next general election.

Doing so is fundamental because people should be able to live with dignity and any government that fails to ensure that as many people understand the benefits of following the route that leads to education, and employment can’t claim to be trying to block the route of poverty that leads to rough sleeping on London’s streets.

TREVOR ELLIS
Wembley