The desperate brother of a Tory MP who has been living on the streets for 10 years has begged the politician to help him end his nightmare.
And former HGV driver Darren Offord blasted the Coalition’s shocking record on homelessness, which has risen by a quarter in the last four years.
Huddled in a tiny council bin shed where he has been sleeping, the 43-year-old made a direct appeal to brother Matthew – MP for Hendon, North London, and a former BBC political analyst.
Darren, who claimed he ended up on the streets and addicted to drugs after an accident cost him his job and his health, said: “Matthew get your flipping a*** here and put your arm out and lift me up… lift me up.
"Give me a hand up and help me get off the streets.”
Dad-of-two Darren told how he gets help from his sister who lives nearby, but spends his time begging for a few pounds a day and survives on food handed out by strangers.
His family also insist they have tried to help him.
But he laid into wealthy Matthew’s colleagues in the Tory-led Government for their failure to tackle the homeless crisis.
Darren, who claimed he is getting booted out of the shed this week, said: “What are they doing? Where is the help for homeless people like me? I’ve been sleeping here for about six months.
“I’ve had 10 years trying to get help, 10 years trying to get back to somewhere and it’s been an absolute nightmare.
"I’ve got till Friday to get out of here, I’m being evicted by the council, it’s unbelievable. I can’t see any support or help, none at all.
“The Government are doing nothing are they?
“If they were there would be ladders up to get out of these situations that we find ourselves in, but they’re not doing nothing.
Top MP: Matthew Offord MP with George Osborne
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Latest statistics show 111,960 people told their council they were on the streets in 2013, a 26% rise over the past four years.
On top of this there is another estimated 380,000 “hidden homeless” – people in hostels, squats and sofa surfing with friends and relatives.
Darren’s life on the streets is in stark contrast to that of his brother.
Matthew, 45, divides his time between his family home, a thatched £785,000 five-bed cottage in Boxford, Berks, and his constituency home in the capital.
He married wife Claire at a lavish 2010 wedding in nearby Newbury, later entertaining guests such as disgraced Tory peer Lord Hanningfield at a reception at Highclere Castle, the setting for Downton Abbey.
“Getting off the streets is a nightmare, getting on the streets is quite easy. If my brother could see the state I’m in.
"I know he’s got his problems but you know, apart from being the MP for Hendon, I’d put my hand out to him, of course, I would.
“My brother is worth thousands. I think he gets thousands of pounds a year just for being the MP.” When asked if he had contacted Matthew, Darren replied, sobbing: “I’ve tried, I’ve tried.”
There are thought to be around 500,000 homeless, a figure that should shame modern Britain.
VIEW GALLERY
Latest statistics show 111,960 people told their council they were on the streets in 2013, a 26% rise over the past four years.
On top of this there is another estimated 380,000 “hidden homeless” – people in hostels, squats and sofa surfing with friends and relatives.
Darren’s life on the streets is in stark contrast to that of his brother.
Matthew, 45, divides his time between his family home, a thatched £785,000 five-bed cottage in Boxford, Berks, and his constituency home in the capital.
He married wife Claire at a lavish 2010 wedding in nearby Newbury, later entertaining guests such as disgraced Tory peer Lord Hanningfield at a reception at Highclere Castle, the setting for Downton Abbey.
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