Theresa May wades into Royal Wedding homelessness row

Eleanor Rose4 January 2018
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Theresa May has distanced herself from a Tory council leader who called for rough sleepers to be cleared from Windsor before the Royal Wedding.

The Prime Minister said she disagreed with comments made by Simon Dudley, who said beggars may show the town in a "sadly unfavourable light" when Prince Harry marries American actress Meghan Markle in May.

He has been slammed for his tweets that said some rough sleepers had made a "commercial life choice praying (sic) on residents and tourists".

In a letter to police, Mr Dudley also complained about "aggressive begging and intimidation", and "bags and detritus" on the streets.

Out in the cold: homeless people in Windsor
Rex Features

Asked about the remarks during a visit to a hospital in nearby Camberley, the Prime Minister said: "I don't agree with the comments that the leader of the council has made.

"I think it is important that councils work hard to ensure that they are providing accommodation for those people who are homeless, and where there are issues of people who are aggressively begging on the streets then it's important that councils work with the police to deal with that aggressive begging."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will wed in May
Getty Images

Mr Dudley's comments have been described as "sickening" by Murphy James, of Windsor Homeless Project, who said: "It's absolutely abhorrent that anybody has got these views in this day and age, especially a lead councillor of the borough."

Prince Harry & Meghan Markle visit Terrence Higgins Trust, Nottingham

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He added: "I went out on Christmas Day and there were 12 people laid out on Windsor High Street. They were not there by choice."

World media crews are expected to join thousands of wellwishers in Windsor for the royal wedding on May 19.

Mr Dudley, leader of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, tweeted that there was "an epidemic of rough sleeping and vagrancy" in the town and demanded police "focus on dealing with this before the #RoyalWedding".

Windsor Police tweeted in reply: "We need to protect the most vulnerable in society by working together but each agency must understand its own unique responsibilities.

Council leader Simon Dudley was branded 'abhorrent' after he tweeted police urging to clear rough sleepers from the streets
PA

"Housing is the responsibility of the council but it is better that agencies work together so people don't become homeless.

"We deal with reports of begging proportionately but we have not had reports of anyone being marched to cashpoints to take out money."

Mr Dudley wrote a letter to Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley Police, Anthony Stansfeld, dated January 2, calling on officers to take action.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry leave the Christmas Day church service.
PA Wire/PA Images

Mr Stansfeld said he was "somewhat surprised" that the letter was released publicly before being "sent directly to me".

"I myself attended a Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council in October and these issues were not raised," he added.

"I will of course provide Cllr Dudley with a full response addressing his concerns once I have received the letter and investigated further the issues he has raised."

Additional reporting by Press Association

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