Corbyn’s tribute to homeless man found dead by Commons

A homeless man was found dead yesterday in the station underpass that leads to the houses of Parliament. mPs said the rough sleeper was often seen at the entrance to Westminster Tube station.

Flowers and a card signed by Jeremy Corbyn were laid at the spot the man was found early yesterday morning.

The labour leader said it was time the ‘ powerful’ stopped ‘walking on by’ and called on mPs to do more to tackle homelessness.

It is understood some members of the labour leader’s team had been in contact with the man, and would take him food. A card left near the station entrance read: ‘This should never have happened. As a country we must stop walking by. Rest in peace. Jeremy Corbyn.’

Another card ‘from all the staff of the leader of the labour Party’ said it was ‘such a tragic loss’.

mr Corbyn wrote on Twitter yesterday: ‘I’ve just been told about the death of a rough sleeper right by the entrance to Parliament. The powerful can’t carry on walking by on the other side while people don’t have a home to call their own. It’s time all mPs took up this moral challenge and properly housed everyone.’

labour education spokesman Angela Rayner also took to Twitter, saying: ‘A homeless man who was seen frequently at the tube entrance to Portcullis house ... has been found dead today.

‘It’s a terrible tragedy that somebody ends their days like this, the govt must do more to combat homelessness.’

labour mP David lammy also responded to the tragedy by criticising the Tories, calling it ‘a shocking indictment of this Government’s record’.

he added: ‘every day when I come into Parliament I wonder if Cabinet ministers don’t also see the hugely increased numbers of people rough sleeping outside Parliament and realise they need to act urgently.’

Government figures released last month revealed there are more homeless people in england than at any point this decade, up 73 per cent since 2014. on a single night in autumn 2017 there were around 4,751 rough sleepers.

scotland Yard said the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious. The Ambulance service said: ‘We were called at 7.16am today to Westminster Tube station to reports of a man not breathing... sadly, despite resuscitation efforts, he died at the scene.’ A house of Commons spokesman said: ‘We are saddened to hear of the death of an individual this morning at Westminster Tube station and offer our condolences to their friends and family at this difficult time.’

‘Powerful can’t just walk on by’