Homeless soup run ban - Human rights group Liberty criticised for intervening in row

Published: 10 June 2011
by PAVAN AMARA

WESTMINSTER’S homelessness chief has criticised human rights group Liberty for intervening in the ongoing row about proposals to ban soup runs from streets close to City Hall.

On Friday letters were delivered to councillors in a giant “Cream of Conscience” soup can, and Shami Chakrabarti, the director of Liberty, was scathing in her criticism. She said: “Councillors would have to be devoid of common sense and decency to believe that criminalising people for feeding those in need will solve the problem of homelessness.”

But Councillor Daniel Astaire, Westminster Council’s cabinet member for adult services and health, said: “There is now a willingness from all sides to harness our collective resources to explore a way forward to avoid going down the legislative route which we would only use as a means of last resort if no agreement can be reached.

“Liberty, however, have seemingly ignored this as well as the rights of the many residents in and around Westminster Cathedral Piazza who have to put up with the disruption of having 100 people queuing for food handouts.”

Earlier this year Cllr Astaire proposed passing a by-law prohibiting the volunteer groups that regularly dish out food around Westminster Cathedral from continuing to do so.