Homeless tour to make MPs listen

Homeless people will tour five English cities in an effort to make politicians listen to the problems they face.

Local MP candidates will be invited to talk to them about the election issues which affect them - housing, crime, employment, education and health.

The MP hopefuls will be asked: "Are you committed to ending homelessness?"

The Big Voice Tour is supported by the Big Issue and Crisis, who hope it will help involve homeless people in the election debate.

After leaving London, the tour takes in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Bristol.

The number of homeless households living in temporary accommodation has more than doubled since 1997 - reaching an all-time high of more than 100,000, including 116,581 children.

Homeless charities say there are thousands more who are either not seen as vulnerable enough to be housed, or those sleeping on friends' sofas.

Crisis has published its own "map" of homelessness, which it says shows it is not just a London-based problem. It puts the total of homeless households in England at 205,000.

Jeff Mitchell, of the Big Issue, said: "We welcome the chance to work with Crisis on this campaign because it is about time that politicians are reconnected with issues around homelessness.

"Some things may have improved, some things have changed, and some things are just as bad as they were around the time of the last election in the lives of people facing homelessness."

"But the fact is, homelessness has not gone away."

All the main parties have begun campaigning for the general election - widely tipped to be called for 5 May.