Charities have condemned a a senior Tory minister who claimed that some homeless people are actively choosing to sleep rough. During a debate about homelessness on Monday, Communities Minister Baroness Williams said some rough sleepers made a free and conscious decision to be without a bed. Hard to imagine that anyone would choose to sleep in a doorway in sub zero temperatures or even choose a communal bin on a cold or wet night. The Huffington Post reports: Quizzed on why homelessness had quadrupled under the Conservatives two consecutive terms in government, the communities minister explained: “The reasons for rough sleeping are many and complex – they are. And in amongst those numbers there are a number of people who actually do choose to sleep rough.” She continued, despite the questioner, Baroness Armstrong, shaking her head in disbelief, and attempted to defend the government’s record on homelessness. “Without making a comment upon that, this government is committed to not only tackle rough sleeping and ensuring that nobody spends a second night out. “But in one local authority there’s actually no first-night-out programme in place. But my Lords that’s why we have protected, both centrally and locally, homeless prevention programmes.” Charities [...]