Jamie Carragher: We should spend less on foreign aid and focus on UK homeless

Granada
homelessness
Liverpool
Jamie Carragher
Wednesday 10 October 2018 at 12:45pm

Credit: Liverpool Echo Syndication

Jamie Carragher has said it is 'absolute nonsense' how much the UK spends of foreign aid and believes the government needs to focus on looking after homeless people in this country first.

The Reds legend spoke at the launch of a new £150,000 homeless shelter in Liverpool and said that while he has 'no problem' with helping vulnerable people around the world - he believes we should 'start with our own'.

Carragher responded to claims by Prime Minister Theresa May that austerity is over by saying:

The new homeless centre - which has been compared to the Big Brother house - was opened by hotel developer Lawrence Kenwright and his Signature Living group. He had earlier opened another homeless refuge at Kingsway House in the city which was beset with problems.

The new centre will offer mental health support and Mr Kenwright wants it to be the first in the country to have a designated sharps room, where residents can safely dispose of drug needles.

Jamie Carragher said:

Former Reds defender Jamie said he can already see that the new Cotton Street facility is streets ahead of Kingsway House.

I went to Kingsway and got involved there with Lawrence and it was done with the best of intentions, you do as much as you can and I think it's fantastic that we've got someone like Lawrence and his team in this city helping people in this situation. But this is completely different, I think they have learnt a lot. You think of a homeless shelter you think of something dark, grey and dingy and this is completely different. It's not somewhere where the homeless can just go to sleep or eat - which itself is fantastic - but it's actually somewhere they might want to stay throughout the day. There's activities, there's an area where they can learn some skills - a canteen and kitchen, it really will be a better place for people. The thing with homelessness now is you can't get away with it - every time you are in the city centre. I'm always up on Bold Street, Wood Street, Tithebarn Street and there are homeless people everywhere. Like everyone else I will stop and give them what is in my pocket - but then you go and get on with your life but then you stop and think, where are they going to sleep tonight? Where are they going to eat? Where are they going to get washed?