- It has been heart breaking
- to realise
- we have people sleeping
- by the underground entrance; devastating
- to learn
- that at least two people
- have died there.
- I confess
- that I feel a sense
- of hopelessness
- as I cannot
- personally
- solve this problem.
- I would like to believe
- that this is on someone’s desk.
- I am also concerned
- about the ongoing stench
- due to it being used as a urinal
- and the fact
- that it is
- absolutely filthy.
- I physically feel as though
- I am going to be sick
- each time I go by.
- More recently I notice
- the homeless
- are leaving bedding
- stacked up there.
- Surely this cannot be safe.
- This could be used by an
- unscrupulous person
- as a cover
- for an explosive device.
- After all
- the clientele
- using that entrance
- are the kind of people
- likely to be targeted.
- While I recognise that we cannot solve the homeless problem
- overnight
- we surely need to address
- the unsanitary conditions that we face
- daily
- arriving and leaving
- the parliamentary estate.
- I am saddened
- for security staff
- who have to inhale the stench.
- It is unacceptable
- that they should have to work
- in that environment.
- However
- now that bundles of stuff
- are being left there
- I really am beginning
- to feel unsafe
- personally
- and equally
- for everyone else
- who uses that entrance.
- I should tell you
- I have been tempted
- to take a bucket and mop to it
- myself.
- With best wishes
- Chaplain to the Speaker of the House
- Priest in charge of St Mary-at-Hill
- Priest Vicar of Westminster Abbey
- Chaplain to the Queen
[New Statesman, 08/10/2019, Parliament’s chaplain complained about “stench” and security risk of Westminster Tube’s homeless]