Rishi Sunaks plans to criminalise rough sleepers over smell risk stigmatising the extremely vulnerable [Video]

Rishi Sunak’s government risks “stigmatising people who are extremely vulnerable” with proposed plans to fine or move on “nuisance” rough sleepers, a Tory MP has warned.

Under the proposals in the Criminal Justice Bill, ministers will give the police the powers to fine or move on rough sleepers – and would punish people if they caused damage to the environment through their “excessive smells”.

Anyone could be deemed to be a “nuisance” under the bill if they “give the appearance” that they are “intending to sleep rough”.

Bob Blackman, Tory chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Homelessness, said that people who end up sleeping rough on the streets are “in desperate straits”. He said the proposed Criminal Justice Bill was worse than the 200-year-old Vagrancy Act, which the government has said it will repeal.

“The Bill as …