380,000 hidden homeless

When you come up with a figure like three hundred and eighty thousand hidden homeless. People ask how you came by these figures and what does hidden homeless mean? Well. Firstly being homeless just doesn't mean sleeping on the streets. The independent newspaper got it half right when it told of homeless men and women sleeping on buses and friends sofas. It also includes people sleeping in hotels, hostels squats, condemned building basically anywhere. I myself have been out and about on the streets of London giving out a cigarette here and there and asking how they became homeless. I have heard some appalling stories Like Marianne a twenty six year old from Sunderland who came to London with her boyfriend to get away from the abuse she suffered at home. Because she wouldn't prostitute herself for her boyfriend. She was left on her own to fend for herself that was two years ago. Now she is addicted to heroin and sleeps rough most nights. She admits she has to sleep with men to feed her habit. I gave her the name of a drug agency that she could go and talk to as she says she wants to get herself clean. I have also spoken to a man named Keith. Who lives in a squat quite near where I live now. He says he got into drugs by accident. He was in a car accident some years ago and was given pain killers from his doctor and has been on them ever since. These are just a few of the stories I have heard personally. I know there are stories that are far worse than these. Many years ago a film called Cathy Come Home alerted people to the fact that there were people that had become homeless and where entering the world of prostitution, drugs and other things. Do we really need to go down that road again? When we see it everyday of the week in our high streets.
The government has no official figures on homelessness. That is why crisis are asking for a census and I do agree with independent that if Tesco can count how many water melons they sell. We can count the actual number of homeless and hidden homeless.
When it comes to homelessness. Many people are skeptical because what they see are the beggars in the street. Most are untidy, drunk or high or so they think. No one ever blames lack of a decent nights sleep. It could also cause someone stagger or to look as if they were high. Imagine having to walk everywhere and go two or three nights without sleep. God, I know what that feels like. To go without one nights is hard enough and its not pleasant. If you put yourself in their place you can only imagine half of what a homeless person has to go through and I am talking from experience. I think I am the proof that with help people can change and I think by giving people the means to change is empowering them to do it for themselves.

LIVE 8

At last live 8 heads in the right direction. It was twenty years ago when live aid made millions to relieve famine in the poorest countries of the world. People all over the world gave an enormous amount. Yet the governments of the world gave very little, you had the Thatcher government who took their share in tax. Which has only just been given back. Now we have a G8 summit here in Scotland. What really annoys me is the cost of the whole event. Which must now be nearing the 150.000000 mark? Just imagine how much food that could buy. My question why can't these politicians just for once lower their standards from first class to just well off class. I know it's an important meeting of the richest countries in the world. My only hope is that they actually do something this time for a continent that is dying. This is their chance to save these people. I know I harp on about the homeless in Britain and so I should but this is another important issue that should be raised. We all know that people all over the world will give generously. So will their governments? Will they wipe out third world debt will they give aid where it is actually needed? Will they make medicines less exspensive and available? Only time will tell.

Crazy frog rules the charts

Is this crazy frog really crazy? It's a tune we've all heard before but all that's been added the beeb beebs and the brum brums. Now it's making a mint. It's already made enough money in ring tones to keep me in luxury for the next ten years. Now its set to make even more. Knowing this is even more annoying than the bloody ring tone. I'm off to make my own. Fame and fortune here I come.

FRANCE SAYS NON

The French have said no to the EU Does this mean that most of the French people agree that a load of bureaucrats should not represent their interests in home matters? Are they in fact saying no we want a more liberal EU, we want to control our own jobs and exports and we want to make are own decisions who we deal with? Not some beaurocrat who doesn't know his arse from his elbow or is this still the mistrust of a European community that is still divided. Myself I like the idea of the European community But I hate the mountains of waste it accumulates when we have countries starving. I also hate that it can pass certain laws that can have detrimental effects on certain counties. The idea of a European community is good but for it to govern all of it's members is well, stupid. I'm sure if say, a European law was passed banning French people from eating frogs legs there would be an outcry. It's just the same as the people of Britain saying we want to keep our own currency. If we want to really become part of a European community? We have to enter it knowing it is a free and fair community. Not one that imposes its own will on all its members and excludes them if they do not agree. That's only my opinion as I don't know that much about the EU

CONSPIRACY THEORY.

Last night I had the most disturbing and frightening thought anyone could have. It maybe because I've been out in the sun too much, but I was thinking about Tony Blair and Gordon brown. I was wondering why they had become mates and why does Tony want to end being prime minister before the next election. Then it came to me. Why Tony had visited the hospital. It wasn't for the irregular heart condition as was said in all of the papers. That was just a rues. It was, wait for it, a cloning operation. Tony Blair will become Gordon Brown just before the next election. Why you may ask? Well lets assume Tony doesn't want to give up being prime minister because he's convinced he can still do the job better than anyone else. He's so convinced he can win the Labour party a fourth, fifth and sixth election and carry on being prime minister. He and his think tank have come up with a way of doing it.
What better way of fooling the public than to give us the hint that Gordon will become the next prime minister just before the next general election. When what is really happening is that everyone in government knows that Gordon makes a fine chancellor, but they all know he probably won't be as good a prime minister. So the idea to keep Tony blair on as prime minister is the only option. So the secret service and all of Britons top scientists have come up with a way to give Tony a complete identity swap.
Gordon Brown gets to be prime minister as the public will see, but he is really Tony blair and the man we think is Tony Blair fades in to obscurity or dies in some weird accident. What a horrible thought that Tony could still secretly be prime minister.
Great conspiracy theory, don’t you think? If you don’t hear from my blog anymore you’ll know why. but as I've said I've been in the sun an awful lot this week.

Over 50

I hear that if your over 50 you might as well be dead and buried. Getting a job is next to impossible no matter what experience you have. Age always seems to come into things. Say you want to go for a night out. If you want to go to a club as soon as you walk through the doors you get the whispers of, did he bring his zimmer frame. God hope he doesn't over do it, no one knows any first aid. I'm not giving him the kiss of life he's too wrinkled and old these are just a few of the whispered remarks I've heard personally. Yet when it comes to it. I can enjoy a night on the town better than most of these youngsters today. I don't get into fights and I don't swear at people. I don't abuse homeless people and I don't scream and shout plus, I don't pee against any walls, but I do rant just a little bit. Oh yes back to what i was saying. Going for a job interview is a harrowing experience in it's self but if your over 50 well, lets just say it's best to have plastic surgery before you go. Because the younger person will virtually always get the job. The government might make all these laws about age discrimination but it's a done thing. Employers want people who are going to give their firm a good few years. They don't want someone who has got the experience but might kick the bucket after six months.
We now have people saying that the over 50s are putting a 35 billion strain on the economy. Wow and I'm one of them. Is that just like saying your near pension age go and hide somewhere? What makes me laugh the most is we have a new deal for over 50s and a public accounts committee that over sees it. Yes it's Labours magic phrase new deal. What is a new deal anyway? I personally think it's a nice way of massaging the unemployment figures. The Third Age Employment Network (TAEN) an organisation set up to promote age diversity think this report has wasted an excellent opportunity. So now I'm off to the knackers yard. I hope its quick and painless? I wonder is there a new deal and a commitee over seeing that?

A CRACK HOUSE ON MY DOORSTEP

Well, it had to happen after the first burglary I thought things could not get any worse. After it happening again I still said to myself remember some of things you have done in the past and it's as they say what goes around comes around. Since then everything has sort of settled down. My peace has now been shattered by a crack house that has open upstairs from where I live. I know some of you might say welcome to our world. We have had to deal with this for years. I was just wondering how you cope with it right on your own doorstep?The funny thing is that I used to be one of those people that used to go to a flat to inject my illegal drugs. I spent over thirty years an addict. Funny how seeing it from the other side gives you a point of view you never had. I never really thought about the man who lived next door or the woman that lived across the road. I never thought about how worried they where about being mugged or burgled by the addicts that frequented the house. To me it was just a place to score and inject. What to do about it? The answer is I don't know. Because I know from experience if the people in the crack house think they have been grassed up there will be reprisals. I now know how people feel when they live with these crack houses on their council estates, I know the worry they have for their children’s safety as I see children at the bus stop every morning going to school and I know pushers have no conscience and wouldn’t be bothered about selling to children. So what do you do? The crack house was made empty just yesterday. Today they’re back again. This time there are more of them. The days of me being one of them have changed. Now I live in a different world. Without drugs or friends that are addicts. It is a choice that I made and I’m so glad I did. This Christmas coming will be my sixth one drug free. It was one Christmas that I made my life changing decision. I have had a lot of help along the way from crisis and its open Christmas. They also paid for me to go to college and helped me buy my computer with their changing lives grants for which I will always be so grateful. So you see having a crack house on top of me, for me could become a problem if I let it. Because just like a alcoholic will always be a alcoholic. I will always be a addict it doesn't matter if don't use ever again. It's just the way it is. Just to cheer my self up. Sometime this week I am going to wear my T-shirt that says BEEN THERE. DONE IT. NO TIME FOR REGRETS. I HAVE A LIFE TO LIVE. Made by me of course.

HEY GORDON WHAT ABOUT US

As I read and hear about Gordon Browns plan for first time buyers. I automatic think to myself what about me? Selfish as it may seem, but I don't have a cat in hells chance of owning my own home. I can just about afford the rent for the place I am in. If Mr brown wants to be remembered for something he should be dealing with those people who live in the poverty trap. The working class people that have to work all Gods hours just to make ends meet. The people on benefits. These are the people most governments seem to forget about. Not everyone has this dream of owning their own house because realistically they can't afford to. I don't see why the government can't look around them at projects that are new. Like the one crisis has. It's called the urban village. This is a project that mixes homeless people with ordinary working people, nurses, bank clerks, chefs, waiters and it will have shops all in the same place and it will also be affordable. It's also about building a community that helps and communicates with each other. It's also about affordable rents. Many people including those people on benefit find it hard to rent because rents are so high. So Gordon watch this space because no matter what I think, the people in this country believe that for a government to do its job. It needs to treat all of society fairly. It needs to remember not only did the rich and well off vote for them but a vast majority of the working class and those caught in the poverty trap did.
I know it's nice to have your own home if you have a family and there's nothing wrong with it, but for some if we are honest, it's just a pipe dream.
Trying to meet the ever increasing rents are what most people worry about including me. Some people lose their homes because their rent has spiraled out of control. Until something is done then there will be more tough times ahead and more homeless people. Oh by the way I have an idea. How about renovation of old houses? I hear through the grapevine they're empty and they're already built. Oops sorry, I forgot new homes on government land is the fad for this government this term.

PARLIAMENT OPEN FOR BUSINESS

The queen opened this session of parliament with the words "my government will continue to pursue economic policies which will entrench stability and promote long term growth and prosperity".
It was just the words long term growth and prosperity that struck me. You see like 25% of people in this country who are on benefits or receive a state pension. We are stuck in a poverty trap that seems void of any solution. I don't see long term growth in my future. Prosperity. Like many people I struggle to make ends meet and I don't have a mortgage thank God or else I would be up shit creek without a paddle. OOPS sorry.
So far nothing in the speech for me. Only the hope that if the country grows so should I. In the next part of the speech I think the queen said something about legislation in key areas of public services, education, health, welfare and crime. Now we come to the heart of things because just before this there was a passage that said something about promoting opportunity and fairness. The word fairness struck a chord. Now I know this was a speech for all, if I'm not mistaken, but these are the questions I put forward:
Is it fair to exclude someone who wants to learn more from education because he has no fixed abode?
Is it fair to refuse someone employment because of his address ie hostel, hospital, hotel or their past?
Is it fair that when a homeless person is attacked (which by the way is 13 more times likely than the average member of the public) that it should all be blamed on their living on the streets? Is it fair that they should be victimised?
Is it fair to put the aged into homes and charge them exorbitant amounts which they can't afford. I could go on and on but I won't. The bit about smoking in public places and ID cards; all I can say is this the start of George Orwells 1984. What the hell is coming next? Did you notice how the government put the ID cards in the queens speech just a simple one liner. Not saying we'll talk about it, but this is what's going to happen.
I always thought of Britain as a free nation. It seems I could be wrong because the way I see things going are that soon we will have a big brother. Where everything is known about everyone. Freedom will just be a word.
The queens speech just made me wonder is this really going to be a government of equality or a government full of broken promises.

People's perception of homeless people

On Saturday I had this idea of just asking people what they thought of homeless people. The answers where close to what I expected. Here are some of the comments made.
1. They are lazy good for nothing, this came from Ron a sixty two year old that then proceeded to tell me the in my day monologues.
2. Then I had a woman with two children that said she felt sorry for them but it was their own fault that they are that way they should be working not begging for a living.
3. I had a group of students from the states tell me they have the same problem but they do have soup kitchens which are open during the day. I proceeded to tell them that we do have day centers.
4.Then I met one irate man called Nobby who told me the government should do something to remove homeless people from the streets. I told him what the government had done so far and he replied F... Me you couldn't tell the difference could you. (his words not mine) I see them everyday of the week in the same place and I even knows their names. Some of them are a bit rowdy but basically nice fellas when they are not asking for money. After talking to many more and getting answers from most people I stopped. The impression I was left with is that most people assume that homeless people have become homeless through drugs and acholohol and that they themselves are to blame for their predicament. Only a few said they thought it was caused through something else. So my question is how do we break this myth that a large per cent of homeless people are druggies or alcoholics ?

Homelessness on the rise

The number of homeless people is on the rise. In London alone, it has risen by 37% in the last four years. You maybe saying to yourself this just it can't be as I don't see as many sleeping in shop doorways now. So how can it be true.
Well, they are there if you look, but homelessness is not only counted by people sleeping rough it is also counted by the number of people sleeping in hostels, hotels and not all of them. What are not counted are those that are sofa surfing at friends or those that are squatting. And believe me when I say the figure is far greater than the governments estimate.
What is the root cause of homelessness?
Do you think that poverty and homelessness go hand in hand?
Has the government got it right in the things they are trying to do to eradicate homelessness?
Would this government be better off tackling poverty first and then homelessness?
Has homelessness been ignored for so long that it has now become incurable?

HOUSING.

Housing prices are at the highest level they have ever been. The average price of a house has risen by a whopping 125% since 1997. And for anyone that wants to buy a home it's just not feasible as average earnings are just £22,000 a year. So I'm told, but my own survey suggests the average wage to be far lower. Trying to buy your own home is a bonus for most people. It's alright if you can afford it and buying your own is a gigantic step for most people.
Just for a minute imagine being in a hostel after living on the streets for a little while and the hostel refuses to accept that you don't need their help anymore and because you refuse to accept it you are in danger of becoming homeless. Well, I have come across such a case. The mans name is Malcolm. He has now been in his hostel for nearly two years. When he first went in to the hostel he had a minor drink problem. Which could have become a major problem had he not had the help he was given from the hostel. That was two years ago. Now he feels he no longer needs the care that the hostel can give. He feels he is ready to move to the next stage of his recovery. He now has been told that if he refuses the care and support on offer. He breaks his housing contract. Which to me seems stupid as under their guidance this man has become what I would call a model for there hostel and I may add to this. He has been working voluntary for the homeless charity Crisis as a volunteer for nearly two years as well. Surely this shows how much progress he has made. I have read the contract and it does make it quite clear. On the other hand this man is supposed to sign a contract every six months and from what I can see no contract has been signed for the last eighteen months. So if the hostel is relaxed about signing they can also be relax their policies and help this man move on to the next stage. This is not the first story I have heard about hostels treating it's clients unfairly. I hope to bring more tales of woe very soon.

MALCOLM
Still worrying and trying to work

OWNING HALF A HOUSE

I am stumped at what our government will do to get people to do. Now they want people to buy half a house. OK, you can buy the other half if and when you can afford it. But really, who wants to own half a house especially when you have to pay rent on the other half. Yes it will make it easy for first time buyers to get one foot, no I shall say one toe on the ladder because that's all you really have on this ladder to owning your own home. With the price rises of owning your own home set to rise another by two or three per cent in the next six months. It is becoming clear even the average working man is being priced out of the housing market. The other thing the government have forgotten about is affordable housing and affordable rents. When are the government going to do something for the 49% of people who live in rented accommodation? Who are finding their rents going up every few months Are the government doing anything for these people because I never hear them say this is what we propose for people who are rent and what about the people that can't get accommodation I don't hear them saying anything. We elected this government not only to help first time buyers but to help all those that need it. Lets not keep forgetting we do have a minority of people that do need help.
We also have a majority of people that want their government to serve.

WE KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE

I was watching news night on BBC and the question about young people doing community service having to wear orange or green. I believe that if we started doing this to young offenders. It would not be long before the older generation of offenders had to as well.
I had this thought of myself in a chain gang digging up a road wearing the old fashioned stripe suit. Sunday best was one full of arrows like you see in old black and white movies.
What I ask myself is this a good idea, just another expensive waste off time? I really do think it's a barmy idea. Why should someone be identified as a petty criminal by all and sundry? A friend of mine not mentioning any names (you know him as the don of all coordinators) told me to read The Times I think it was, but I read the Guardian instead. It had a small piece on the subject. Yet this time it suggested them wearing the same colour suit, tie and white shirt. If that's not a uniform I'll eat my hat.
My feeling on this subject are, why are we thinking of things like this? This is a society that believes we should help reform prisoners. It's not as if we make them go to what ever meeting they have to. IE: probation officers in some cases they have to visit a psychiatrist on a weekly basis and some have to see drug councilors. Some are even do community service. So why are we trying make them stand out? Shouldn't we be treating them like normal people? Community service is already their punishment for whatever crime they have committed. So as recompense we make them serve the community. I don't see making them stand out as a positive step towards rehabilitation. In fact I see the opposite happening. I see offenders resenting the fact that they are being made to stand out.
The government seem to think this will ease overcrowding in prisons. I think people are now fed up with the ease that some people who have committed terrible crimes get off so easily in courts The disparity of sentencing is beginning to become a major concern. This is a more pressing matter than the colour some offender should wear. Shouldn't the government be thinking of ways to stop people offending? I have to agree with the Conservative veiw on tougher sentancing.
I say no to the ludicrous Idea of branding offenders whist serving the community because giving someone a colour to wear is a bit like branding. If I'm not mistaken the Germans did that to the Jews in the war. I think it is a wrong step to take.

The swearing Alistair Campbell

Well well, if Alistair Campbell can swear so can I. Ah but am entitled to swear after all I don't write acceptance speeches for a prime minister. I could if he asked me and believe me I would guarantee a fourth term. So was it you that wrote that awful speech I've listened and learned. Sorry but I thought it was a right old load of bull. The people of this country expect a bit more than to know it's prime minister went deaf for eight years and miraculously got it back after an election and what the hell was he learning? I don't think it was how go to war because he has got that off to a tee and I know what you're thinking. the answer is I'm not having a fucking bad day. Oh by the way are you jumping ship in the near future. love to write the column

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Well, here it comes a memory of mine for what it's worth. It's nineteen seventy two and I'm twenty years old. I'm stoned out of my tiny scull and need a bed for the night but because I'm a drug addict. No hostel will take me not even a DSS hostel. So I'm left to my own devices. I have decided to sleep in a back street near Soho as I need to beg, so I can score first thing in the morning. All I have is my tiny transistor radio and and a few pence in my pocket. Al greens lets stay together is playing on the radio. I fall asleep to it and wake up in the morning about six thirty to start begging, but I have no shoes as I had to take them in the off night due to my feet being blistered and sore. No radio all gone. Stolen in the night probably by some else sleeping rough. Funny how something so simple a memory of a song can bring back a memory. But as people say those where the days

ANOTHER BLOG REVEALED

I have just had a look at another blog. This one was by Lynne Featherstone.The Liberal Democrat elected member of parliament for Hornsey and Wood Green. At last someone telling us what it's like to enter parliament for the first time. She tells us of the antiquated traditions of the house and she says that she had to listen to Michael Howard and Tony's I have listened and learned speech. She also says how being a woman she is entering the old boys school and that she'll stick to trying to deliver the things her constituents need. All I can say who'd be a politician and why? Nice blog about what a girl does on day off by the way. What I would like to know how come nearly every woman on the planet has this shopping therapy thing going on? I need some therapy myself any chance?

DOES OUR VOTE COUNT?

The election on may 5th this year I believe will not be the high point of the year although it should have been. The Labour party gained their victory with the smallest winning majority and the turn out for the election was the second lowest, post war. Does this mean that voters do not care who is in government or is it that most people were disillusioned with the non-political issues in the run up to the election? I believe that people didn't vote because they thought why should we? Our vote doesn't count one iota. Do we need an electoral reform? The Independent newspaper is doing a make your voice heard (sounds similar to my, wait a minute, have they nicked my idea?) campaign to try to get the government to change the electoral system. It said by the government that people have no appetite for reform. Yet it seems that two 3rds of the country do have an opinion on how the government should change our out dated voting system but I am worried about us becoming like the Americans and having a presidential system of voting. Which does seem to be the way we are leaning. So how do we go about changing our voting system to make it fair and democratic and if we change the voting system too much will we in fact let in the minority parties like the BNP party and other fringe parties? Can we do without the reform and still progress?
The older generation are probably saying. Why change something that works? Is this what the government are saying too? After all they won the election. Do you think we should reform our voting system?

A PLAIN AND SIMPLE QUESTION

Today i thought I'd ask an MP one simple question. So from my hat I picked Shaun Woodward. Who has been made junior minister in the northern Ireland office because not only is homeless a problem in England. Ireland also has the same problem. So this what I said I am the blogger I am trying to give homeless and hidden homeless people a voice because people think just because they are homeless or in hostel sleeping on friend setee's they think nothing about politics. What I would like to know is do you think homeless people should have a voice to say what they want or need to become members of today's society? As most homeless people will tell you they are made to feel outcasts in a society in which they should be a part of. If you remember you gave them the right to vote even if they lived on a park bench or was this a ploy to get the extra votes a party might need to swing an election.
Don't you think it about time homelessness was ended once and for all. We are the fourth richest country in the world. Yet when we wake up and go to work we see people sleeping in shop doorways it not only occurs in England it also happening in Northern Ireland In the Queens speech she spoke of equality and and fairness. Don't you think it is about time that homeless people were treated fairly and as part of today's society. Do you agree with me when I say people from all walks of life no matter what should be equal?

You've been blogged

I just had a look at Boris Johnson's blog the Hugh grant of politics. He must be a very busy man. I just wanted to ask him. What he thought of the queens speech and what he thinks about Labours victory in the election and does he believe that homelessness and poverty should be eradicated together? By the way Boris the blue on your site. A bit Conservative isn't it?

This crowd say lets make cannabis legal. It takes all sorts doesn't it

PLAIN ENGLISH

Last night I manage finally to read the homelessness act. I've come to the conclusion that it is all mumbo jumbo. To tell the truth you need a translator to translate it. Now I'm your average guy of reasonable intelligence and even I had a hard job reading the bloody thing. Whatever happened to good old fashioned English? After all that's what I've learned these past fifty three years. When these people become MPs do they have to enter into some secret coding thing? Anyway it has taken me two days to read and I do understand parts of it some parts which I think need to be defined because if they are taken literally then some homeless people will not be treated fairly. God, I hope I never become an MP.

I'VE BEEN NOMINATED FOR SOMETHING

Its official this is a great blog. My head is now that big I can't get it through the door. Watch out folks here I come. Seriously though, this blog is fun to write because I can be funny when I want to be. Serious when I have to be. Although I might seem to be a tad right wing sometimes. Honestly I'm not. Most of the things I say are my own opinion but something Sri your opinions. You see me in Covent Garden asking questions on a Saturday or Sunday. That's because I don't want everything to be my own opinion. Well, here's to a whole year of Jamie's ranting.

WILL POT EVER BE COMPLETELY LEGAL?

Yesterday I was passing through Trafalgar square. I came across what was left of the make pot completely legal rally. At first I thought what do they want? The law has changed dramatically towards pot smokers. Pot has been downgraded from class B drug to a class C drug. Then I thought of all the things that have been said against the drug lately . That it causes depression and personality disorders. That it is in fact addictive. Lets just say we legalise pot. What do we get? Well, it's been said by legalising it the government will earn revenue by taxing it more heavily than petrol. That it might stamp out the cannabis dealers. Then as I was taking a photo I heard the comment pot smokers are just zombies. So we'll get probably a nation of zombies. Which reminds me the Labour party. Nah, they can't be. Can they?

JUST A MEMORY

It was getting dark when I took this photo. The memory of this place was as if it was just yesterday because, this was where I slept on the first night my money ran out and I couldn't afford a B and B. The thing that I remember most was that I was not the only homeless person trying to sleep there, but that was way back when I was fifteen and a half. That was thirty seven years ago. The statue hasn't changed it has just been cleaned. I just wondered if any thing else had stayed the same and how many of the people you see in the picture are homeless? Just like I was all those years ago

JUST THINKING

I was just thinking about how unfriendly people in Britain have become. Everyday you read or hear about someone being murdered. The latest being the two girls one dead and the other just about living.
What has happened to our society?
Are we too soft on crime and punishment?
Should we go back to the days of a life for a life?
In my teens from what can remember of them we had queer bashing, paki bashing, sorry for the words I use but that is what we called it then. Rarely was it fatal. Ok it wasn't the right thing to do but compared with what's happening today. What can you say most times today if you get attacked you die or are seriously injured.
Most of the people I've spoken to say, tougher sentences, longer prison terms and when someone gets life it should mean life. I wonder do you agree.

FRIENDLY BUS DRIVER

This is Gibson our bus driver for the whole big voice tour. I can only hope there are more like him driving buses. One thing I will say is he never got lost once. Which is more than I can say for some others I know. i'm not going to name names

PEOPLE WE MET ON THE BIG VOICE TOUR

Cathy we met in Birmingham. She was A 25yr old former addict. Who spilt from her partner and found herself with nowhere to go. She went to Birmingham homeless advice centre and was place in a new project. Where she now lives and receives advice and treatment for her addiction. She says she wants to live a normal life just like everyone else. She hopes to have her own flat and go to college. I hope she does. All the best for the future Cathy.
I hope to do a follow up on all the people I have featured on my blog. just to see how they are getting along.

HAPPY SLAPPING

I was watching the Trevor MacDonald Tonight program on a new craze that's sweeping Britain called happy slapping. This consists of being slapped on the back of the head or face and having a photo taken at the same time friend said I've been happy slapped and it f...ing well hurt. It came out of the blue. There I was walking home and all of a sudden I was hit on the back of the head so hard that I saw stars. I thought I was being mugged.
This is only one instance of a craze that is causing so much panic amongst the general public. Certain shopping center's are banning youngsters who wear hooded the attire of the happy slapping gangs from their shopping malls.
Crazy isn't it? We can be assaulted and on most occasions robbed by these gangs of happy slappers and it's called a craze.
I spoke to people on the bus this morning and the replies I got were,we are too soft on these youngsters today. Bring back flogging that will teach them a lesson. Give them the short sharp shock treatment. Let them join the armed forces that'll teach them discipline.
Well, here's what I say. We used to have a suss law but, because it was being used racially we redefined it and now it's called a stop and search law. Which, I'm told is still racially inclined, but what can you do if you have a society of youngsters trying to become famous on the fast track? Because that's basically what is happening. How do we prevent this? (Tick tock tick tock that's my brain working by the way) It all hinges on a thing called an act of premeditation. To premeditate something is to think about it and arm yourself with the tools you need to perform whatever premeditated action you have in mind. Whether it be selling drugs robbing someone one. When it is not on person alone then it must be conspiracy. Happy slappers do this they conspire with each other on what bus to catch and where to find their victims. Although most victims are picked at random it is still a premeditated act. slappers consist of between 2 any number of hooded youths with a phone cameras. They would not dare do it on their own as the victim might and does in most cases fight back. To me this is a premeditated act. Most happy slapping occurrences end either with a robbery or the vic

CRIME REALLY DOES PAY

The murderer Ian Huntley is to be given a self contained apartment in prison which has been dubbed Hotel Huntley. The convicted child killer will be given a luxury £100,000 so-called "suicide proof" apartment with it's own bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and lounge with all the mod cons . This is a joint initiative by the home office and prison service to stop high profile prisoners from commiting suicide. A supposedly good idea? I don't think so. Why should someone who has committed such an evil crime be given such preferential treatment? When we have so many homeless and needy people in this country. Should the tax payer be footing the bill? I don't think so. I know we have what I call the do-gooders out there and they will say that no matter what the crime, people should still have the chance to be rehabilitated. Some people have said just give him a rope and be done with it. What do I think? Well, I think that the punishment should fit the crime. Where murder is concerned we should take a long look at the law. Pre-meditated murder I believe should hold a death sentence but as has just been pointed out to me this country has wrongly convicted many innocent people. So I would say, how can we stop murders happening if we have a society that does not have a strong enough deterrent? I don't have the answer myself, but just because I don't have the answers doesn't mean I shouldn't ask the questions.

WHAT DO MPs REALLY DO?

It's said MPs don't really do anything but talk all day long and it's seems they can never agree on anything. If by any chance they do agree it becomes law.
Do we really need them?
When we had a king ruling we didn't need them then. All he needed was his advisors which to be honest are what MPs are today.
Was it one man's vision for the future of this country or is it still an insane idea that's been put into practice?
Are MPs really as deaf as we think they are?
We are always complaining that MPs don't hear a thing we say, and that they always seem to assume what the people want or need.
So what do MPs really do? Me personally I'd love to know.

SUPPORTED HOUSING

The Alan Carter interview

Alan is it true that you are a self confessed alcoholic and have been for many years?

yes

Have you ever been in prison?

yes, on several occasions

Can you tell me what happened the last time you came out of prison and how you got the flat you have now.

"Well, when I came out of prison, I went to the flat I had before I was sent to prison and was told by the council I no longer had it. From there I went into a hostel (St Mungo's, Covent Garden) after about ten months I was given a flat in Greenwich. I got everything I needed for the flat, but started to have a really bad time with neighbor's and because I had no after-care support from the hostel I had been in, things started to deteriorate, and my drinking began to get heavier. I was then given another flat because I was then classed as being vulnerable, but that didn't last long. It was only in my third flat that I was one day summoned to the council offices to discuss why I had not paid any rent and to discuss my rent arrears. They could see I was in no fit state to keep a flat but gave me the address of a drug and alcohol advice charity(Dash) and arranged for someone to come and see me. When they came they saw the state of the flat and that I had no electric and hadn't had any for sometime. They got on to all the agencies concerned and got things moving. They also helped clean my flat which took a couple of days. Then, they found out the flat was not fit to live in. So once again I had to be moved to another flat and now I have been in my new flat for two and a half years. I still meet with people from the Dash agency but now only occasionally. I am grateful to them for the help they gave me.

Do you see yourself keeping the flat even though you are still an alcoholic?

Of course. I know if I run in to difficulty I can ask them for help.

This is just one of the examples I shall be investigating, where supported housing was needed in the very first instance of this man getting a flat.

DEBT

Debt can be acruded through catalogues, HP agreements. The thing is you don't have to be vunerable or just single. It can and does happen to anybody. Huge debts can be run up before you notice anything is wrong.
If you apply for a crisis loan at your local Dss office on the form you fill in. It says do you have any other means of getting a loan besides the loan your applying for. And it does state all the means the government think you might be able to IE. Credit cards,store cards, bank accounts, friends, family,loans even insurance policies you maybe able to claim on. It does seem to me, it is expected in today's society that you have one or the other.
Debt has become another problem this country has. This country broke through the one trillion pound of personal debt and it is increasing by one million pound every four minutes.The rates of inflation these companies charge are nearly as high as the loan sharks that come to your door along with their minders. The only thing it can be called is legal daylight robbery

HOW TO OWE MONEY in one easy lesson

I can now tell you how to spend more than you earn without trying or if you're unemployed how to spend money you don't have by using the high street loan sharks.
Banks: ie Barclays, Lloyds, Nat west are supposed to follow a strict code of conduct when lending money or giving credit cards.
But do banks see vunerable people as a way of making higher profits for their investors?
Bank staff are under pressure to push on to people loans, credit cards, protection insurance. Many of the vital credit checks are being ignored.
When I first moved in to my flat I opened a bank account. After a few months I was asked if I wanted to use their overdraft facilities. I had to think about it for a few minute but declined their offer and signed to say I didn't want it. Then about nine months ago, out of the blue I received a credit card which I had not applied for. Now if I had not been the person I am. I could have easily used the credit card and run up a massive bill. Being unemployed I would not have been able to afford the repayments. Now if that had happened to someone let's just say an addictive disorder. That credit card would have been like a bar of gold. The same also applies to someone that has been homeless for a long while and have just got their flat. It would have been like a red flag to a bull so I can understand when people say their spending just got out of control. The idea that a credit card gives you unlimited wealth is great but in practice all it brings is misery if your on a low income. The idea that someone can be sent credit cards or get loans without sufficient checks being made is not acceptable by any standard. Their are supposed to be a strict banking codes of practice. But they are not be adhered to.
The only way I see banks keeping to their own guide lines are:

If a bank is found to have given loans, credit cards with insufficient checks? Then the bank itself should pay the amount owed.

If the bank is at fault? The the bank should be fined a large amount and the customer should also benefit from the banks inaptitude by way of compensation.

If the bank is at fault due to staff pressures? The bank should be fined if staff are not trained properly or find that their staff are not doing the job properly.

These are just a few measures that if enough people complain about the way they are forced to have credit cards, loans it might just make the banks think twice if they know there are fines for not applying their own strict guide lines.

MORE PEOPLE WE MEET ON THE BIG VOICE TOUR

Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Richard Brighton and Lib Dem councilor Alistair Dow pictured here in Birmingham signing the pledge to end homelessness.

Richard Brighton says he understands that more need to be done to help homeless people and those living in hostels. He also agrees with me on drug rehabs. He says that more drug rehab places need to be available now as we need to fight the problems of drug addiction and alcoholism now rather than later. It would save millions of pounds for government and businesses in the future It would also help estranged families come together.
My question is was he just saying this to appease me?

WARS,SENSELESS

As I sit and watched Dame Vera Lynn in Trafalgar square with a friend of mine. I'm suddenly reminded of the Iraq war and the gulf war and how many of our soldiers are dead and still dying. Although the tally so far is only small compared to most full scale wars. If it were not for these men that keep us free from anyone who would try to imprison us or rule us.We would not be walking the streets as free men and women. They keep the peace and keep our enemy's from our shores, but I am sorry to say that fighting for our freedom sometimes costs them their lives. These men go to other countries that suffer tyranny and oppression to help not to hinder. Some do not come home. These are the heroes of today. The heroes of yesterday were the start of something great. That's why we live free today.
It took many different nations to defeat Hitler. Yet,together we managed it. although millions of lives were lost in both world wars, you'd think the fact that we came close to being ruled by a dictator that only wanted blue eyed and blond haired people to be the master race, we would have learned something about the senseless waste of war. Wars should never happen, but if you look back throughout history. It seems every four hundred or so years there is a great war. I've heard it said that this is a way us, humans keep the population on earth down. Is it something in the human make up that lets us kill one another? Is it that impossible for us to learn that war destroys civilizations and that a war today could actually destroy everything in a matter of minutes, now that we have the technology to do so. Can you image talking to your son, mother, father or your sister on the phone. Then you hear the warning sirens, then nothing. It would be as if you never had been here. No legacy to leave. Only the clouds of radiation. So yes, I am grateful to all those men that fought to give me my freedom and for the peace they keep. To those men they will always have my gratitude. I am also grateful to the men of today who prevent some lunatic from dropping the bomb that will end all.
Yet, I can't help but thinking to myself, that the to make war on each other is such an idiotic waste of life.

LABOURS IN OFFICE

Labour have been reelected and guess whose back in the cabinet? Yes, David Blunketts back. I always thought he'd return at some stage but not this early. Mr blunkett who resigned over the work permit applications, to be honest has never been a favorite of mine. Some of the ideas he had when he was Home Secretary I must admit were quite good except for the Id cards. Which I strongly believe works against the principle of a free and democratic people. Now he's back I wonder whether he and Charles Clarke will have lunch sometime and slyly continue with some of the things he tried so hard to instigate.
Amongst the cabinet reshuffle we have three new faces we shall have to see how they perform. Once again no mention of anyone being appointed for a new position on temporary housing
I wonder why all the homeless agencies have pointed out that we do have a major problem with what is known as hidden homelessness. So why doesn't the new government do something right from the start of their third term in office. Because I can assure them if the situtation does explode the way it has been forecast. Then Labour will have no chance of ever addressing the problem. It will be the same old story of people sleeping on the streets. So I shall keep on and on like some broken record shouting at who ever is in power to Wake up and smell the coffee

SOCIETY

I have asked a lot of questions since I started this blog. The one question that keeps on raising it's head is, why should we care? I always answer the same.
As I was watching the election and yawning at the same time last night. I turned the TV over and there was an appeal to end poverty all the stars like Hugh grant, Liam what's his name,Sean Penn. I started thinking and before you say it. I'll say it for you. Stop thinking or your brain will explode. Anyway where was I? Oh yes, last night. I had these thoughts of why should society care about complete strangers? Imagine a society that didn't care and what that would be like. Everyone just looking out for themselves. Families that didn't look after each other. Terminally ill people would die alone. Old people would have to fend for themselves. There would be no second chances say, if you were a drug addict and wanted to change. You could not get the help that was needed because no one cared. If you where sick you would become an outcast. The less fortunate would not be able to survive. It would be like the days you read about in the bible. Life would be a sheer nightmare.
I do believe that caring for others is part of our human make up. No matter what colour or religion you are. I just wondered if we really are a world society of different creeds and colours? I know if a bomb destroys a town in Russia tomorrow we wouldn't think twice about helping. Although we don't agree with some of it's governments policies. If another disaster happened in another part of the world. We would be there. Strangers helping strangers. In this country we have charities such as crisis the charity that empowers the homeless. Homeless link another charity that works with both the homeless and other similar organizations. We have age concern that helps the old and infirmed. We have so many which does prove we are a caring race of people and the saying charity starts at home is a true saying. If we end the things like homelessness, poverty and cruelty to children and animals at home while trying to make a difference in the world. We can say most definitely say we have made a start on being a better society and being one of the richest is the kind of a bonus that allows us to do it. This is what makes us a society. Society doesn't mean conformity.
If you think I just had a mad five minutes please comment in the box below.

FIRST TIME VOTER

Yesterday I voted for the first time ever in a general election.I was hoping to show a photo of myself entering my polling station but it was too blurred. So you will have to make do with me just telling you about it.
The funny thing about voting was, looking at all the candidates names on the slip of paper and thinking, who should I vote for and why should I vote for them? I had never seen anyone of them at my front door asking me to vote for them. Then I thought about the big voice tour I'd just been on and the questions we asked some prospective candidates. I did remember some of the answers they gave.(which was a miracle for me as my memory is kind hazy at times.) Even this line of thinking went out of the window because as I was standing there ready to put my x in the box. I knew that just by putting it next to someone's name, I was hoping my vote was going to make a difference. I wasn't only voting for myself. I was voting for those voices that are not heard. I was in fact saying I hope my vote will make a difference. I want this person to be my member of parliament because I think he will do the best job for me and others. The only thing now I think about it. Was it the right choice? Only time will tell.
As the result came early this morning I sort of expected the result as did half the country. The most unusual thing about this election I think, was it wasn't fought on the real important issues. I believe it came down to a popularity contest. It was a sort of smaller version of an American election with out the razamataz. Well, that's what I think, but Isn't funny how one little x on a piece of paper might make a difference.

WHO THE F... ARE YOU?

Mark a homeless man who was trying to sleep at the back of the army navy store in Victoria, Westminster, said "Even as a homeless person, I have the same rights as anyone else and all I want is to be left alone at night to sleep. So I can go to work in the morning. Is that too much to ask for?" Then I asked him what he thought of the election that was happening later on today.

A. What a load of crap. You are wasting your time talking to me. I am one of the forgotten.

Q. So you don't have any views or opinions?

A. I have a lot, but who's going to listen to some homeless guy, even if he does have a job? Now go away and let me get some sleep. I have to go to work in the bloody morning

Q. Can I take you photograph for my blog?

A. No, besides who's going to listen you. You are like me, no matter what you've done or are trying to do. You're of little concern. So who the F... are you?

A. Just someone with a voice.

DEAR MR BROWN.

Dear Mr Brown why is it you don't consider people, who can't afford to buy their own home? Say, homeless people or even better still people in bed and breakfast oh and hostels, you know those big building that house most of the rough sleepers taken off the streets or have you forgotten them? Everytime I hear you say something or read something, it's as if you've got a one track mind. Don't you remember? It was Maggie Thatchers government oh and by the way she was one of those Conservatives who brought in the right to buy and she never got around to building enough homes. Now you're intent on doing the same. I'm Building more homes, I'm Build more homes. Bit monotonous don't you think and oh yes, am I right in thinking that a great number of people have lost their homes due to huge rises on their mortgages. Inflation I think it was called. First time buyers do have the right to by a house no question my argument is not with them you should build but should you also build more council houses. After all it's around 59% not the 70%you seem to have arrived at. I can pluck figures from somewhere too.
Questions I have to ask is should we keep on building on Greenfield sites when we have brownfield sites available.
What about the properties we already have? That have been vacant for ages because councils are strapped for cash?
What about making the some of the issues on homes. Fair and affordable rents for single homeless people

WHO WILL YOU VOTE FOR TOMORROW?

Tomorrow who will you vote for? Will it be the one that says he will give nurses a pay rise and further improve the NHS? When you know he will not because if he does, jobs will be lost somewhere else, but you don't care as long as it's government wastage.
Will you vote for the one that says we wouldn't have taken our country to war? When you know he dam well agreed with it in the first place or will you vote for the laid back character you know has said all the right things? But there's something about him and you just can't bring yourself to trust him. I'm Not saying politicians lie but they do seem to stretch the truth a rather long way sometimes. What people think are the important issues get lost on deaf ears. The parties machines just turn on their own agendas and steam roller any issue that will cause them to slow down.
My point is so far I have heard nothing on homelessness from any party and I know it's a very important issue because although the previous government did remove People from the street and put them in hostels or bed and breakfast hotels. We now have a problem of what is now called hidden homeless. If it keeps on rising the way it has been in the last few years many people plus myself see a system that will break down. We will see a return to the old days of rough sleepers in their thousands sleeping on our city streets once again. So I ask all you prospective parliamentary candidates Did it get mistakenly left off all the parties manifestos?
My friend John says he's going to vote for his MP because she's better looker at than the other candidate as he's a bloke he always been a bit of a sexist but he does have a point when he says what's the point they don't listen. Better of voting for the sexy one.
My friend Angela s really serious and the last time I saw her she was still humming and ahhing about who she was going to vote for but I think she'll end up sticking a pin in some photos and choosing that way.
Me I'm still a little undecided although I have an inkling who I will be voting for. Maybe common sense will prevail after all.

IS THE ELECTION NOW BORING?

I personally think the election is now coming to the exciting stage. How anyone can say the election is now boring is beyond me. Maybe that's because I've had to concentrate on the election issues more than most. To think it boring when it is so close to call is really funny. Yes the lead up has been a little monotonous but that's what an election does. It's in full swing now and the Conservatives are really trying to make in roads in to Labours lead. while the Lib Dems are classing themselves as the only real alternative to Labour. It's a bit like an all in wrestling match. The winner is the only one left standing. So no, it's not as boring a it may seem

THE BEST BLOG IN THE WORLD

I have to blow my own trumpet as no one else will. This was my first attempt at a blog. When I first sat at the computer and thought about how I was going to write I suddenly had this thing about writing a sort of diary but as if it were a conversation. It does seemed to have worked as I have tried to be serious when needed and light hearted when I thought it was appropriate . Now after reading the whole blog. I think it's one of the best blogs on the web. Now that's what I call self praise indeed

A FUTURE THAT'S LOOKING ROSY
Because of a project that works

We met Caroline in Birmingham. Caroline a former sofa surfer on various friends sofa's was made homeless in Birmingham. She was brought up by her parents in Glasgow. Who she says were she middle class. she moved to Birmingham and slept on friends sofa's but this came to an end, after finding herself homeless, she found it hard to rent as no one would take anyone on social security benefits. Luck was on her side she went to a Birmingham drop in centre for the homeless and was found a place. She moved into a brand new hostel project. Which I vistited and found it to be one of the best projects I have come across in my experience of hostels. The hostel it self caters for single homeless women with or without problems. Although she is still a hidden homeless statistic the future for Caroline looks bright and rosy and I wish her all the best for the future and I hope to see her at the official opening of the project.

JAMIE THE POET STRIKES AGAIN

On Friday night I went for a drink with friends and as I sat there listening to them chat. I suddenly had this thought of oh my God I am apart of society. As I sat talking to people a poem came in my head and I called it
Just with friends

Just sitting with friends on a Friday night.
Having a drink and relaxing
Plans for weekend
Doing nothing too taxing
Work is over for another week.
Colleagues and friends sitting around chatting.
Letting their hair down is all they seek.
There I am this former homeless guy
Sitting, chatting ,smiling and thinking.
Funny I'm being treated like someone normal
Yet I still don't know why.
In the background music is playing some rappers rapping.
All the talk is about war, politics, peace and sexuality
Then everything hits me, the answer I'd been seeking
No matter what, we are all part of today's society.

It was just a thought I had sitting having a drink with friends and it seems I answered my own questions. These are the thoughts of someone that's been homeless.
The welcoming of normality is really quite strange to someone that's never quite fitted in.

NATIONAL AVERAGES

I have always wondered how governments get their figures. So this weekend I did a bit of research of my own on the national average wage. I went into Covent Garden and just stopped people in the street and said sorry sir or if it was a lady sorry madam could you help me? I'm doing my own independent survey on wages the government say is the national average. Would you mind telling me what you earn? Of course no names will be mentioned.
I took 100 of each section-18yr olds, 21 and early thirties and above married with kids.
Then I took the on the older generation which I though was a generally good idea. Boy did I get some lip from some grumpy people. I just put it down to being a warm weekend. So after a sluggish start my figures came rolling in.
The average wage of an 18yr old is a little above £8,500 a year.
The average wage doesn't differ that much for a single man or a married between the age of 21 to thirty it was an average of just £13,500 year.
In the 30 to the older grumpier age group. I was even more surprised at such a high figure of low paid workers especially because this was London the average was just £19,000 and many of these people had two children. Many were not in the high paid office section which I assumed most to be. most were shop workers and factory workers from different parts of the country.
So you compare my average to the governments and see what you come up with. Remember the way tax works it's always been on what the government think the public can afford. If the national average was low then less tax but no government in it's right mind would tell you that. I have an idea how about sending me the figure on what you earn then I can work out the national average and send it to who ever's in government and tell them this is the figures tax should be based on not some over inflated government figure plucked from the air or a near enough figure. That's how my weekend went and I began to suspect the government of having what I call the sheriff of Nottingham syndrome. What we need now is a Robin Hood any takers?

IT'S ONLY COMMON SENSE

I never thought myself as being that clever until I actually learned to read and write. Now there's no stopping me. When I read about the election and its back biting, running down parties and their leaders, I just think to myself are these the people I really want to govern my country?
Yes, Blair might have been full of bull.... Oops, can I say that word? Better not just in case. Would Michael Howard be any different? After all he did agree with Blair on going to war with Iraq. He now wants an inquiry on it along with that third party. What are they called?
Howard also accuses Blair of stealth taxes . He says his party won't put up taxes. So he would also have to have some form of stealth taxes; after all he has to raise money somehow. I personally don't think cutting the number of civil servants is the answer or slicing in to chunks our armed forces. We need to be prepared as they say in the boy scouts. So common sense tells me think about what is being said and what has been done under former governments. Maybe that will bring about an answer to the dilemma of the election. If you think about it too hard (because none of the parties really seem to have) I think they have already assumed what the country needs instead of listening to its people first.
Do we really care about the three main party leaders and their personalities? Shouldn't we be concentrating on what Labour has done and what the Conservatives believe they can do? Oops, I've done it again - I do believe there is a third party with a leader so laid back I've forgotten his name.

THE BIG THREE GO IN TO OVERDRIVE

The final countdown has begun only three days to go and the three leaders of the major parties go on a whirl wind tour of the marginal seats hoping to convince voters to vote for them. Yesterday Blair leader of the Labour party warned voters that where thinking of switching to the Lib Dems that it would a major catastrophe and it would let the conservatives in. Michael Howard and the Conservatives kept up his message of how can you trust Labour when they have lied. Charles Kennedy leader of the Lib Dems said the Conservatives have no chance in winning the election. Now that's what I called confidence, but don't count your chickens just yet mate. You just don't know do you? I mean people in this country are strange. It's a bit like pop idle the best doesn't always win. So if I where you I wouldn't say too much. As for the Conservatives I'd start to worry just in case something special happens in the next couple of days. I think personally labour will win because everyone sort of agrees with me. It's better the devil you know. Please please don't sing.I don't want anymore nightmares.

MUD STICKS

Tony Blair now knows that mud does definitely stick. He will always be known throughout the rest of history as another prime minister that took our country to war and maybe an illegal one.
Well, Tony you try being homeless and having people looking at you when you're sitting down on a park bench in the middle of any city in this country. Resting, because you're tired and have blistered feet from walking and your clothes are a bit grubby, because you had to sleep in them on a dirty street last night. You try sleeping on the streets on cold nights and have people kicking you and shouting abuse at you. Did you know that a homeless person is 13 times more likely to be assaulted and abused than the general public. Ask anyone that's homeless or living in hostels.
It's that look some of the public give you as you're sitting there maybe rubbing your feet or even when you're walking with your sleeping bag tied to your back. You can see the oh he's just another one of those alcoholics or junkies. That's exactly what some of the public do think and I hate to admit it's a rather large percentage of the public. It's because everyday on their way to work or when they go out shopping they see things and assume it's must be that homeless mans fault. The public see the homeless as the problem. Not homelessness as a problem. It's a stigma that sticks to you even after you get your own place. I should know I have my own place but I still get the looks from people that have actually met me on the street.
All three Major parties must not see it as a problem. It's not in any manifesto, it's certainly not on any political agenda. The question is why? Are the homeless and hidden homeless of no consequence? Are they indeed the forgotten minority?
Oops, I've ranted on again and kind of wondered off the subject I started with. Sorry Tony, I'm not really.
I must admit Mr Blair taking us to war, not a smart move. You ever heard of clean your own house first. Take a good look around our cities. If you don't see what I see then I can recommend a good optician, if you can get an appointment.
The war I don't think will make much difference in history. Just a thing you will be famous for. Now if you'd have changed the country and made a difference. Then you'd have been remembered for something great.
Mr Blair you leave a legacy that is much the same as lady Thatcher. The only difference is, she won her little war. Are you sure you're not a Tory indisguise? You can tell me you know I wont tell, I promise.