Tory MP says sleeping rough is 'a lot more comfortable' than doing army exercises

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Conservative MP and former army officer has claimed sleeping rough is “a lot more comfortable” than military exercises. During a parliamentary debate he led on street homelessness, Adam Holloway suggested able-bodied people could "make quite a lot of money from begging on the streets of London”. The Brexit supporter also attributed rising levels of homelessness to eastern European immigration, arguing “some migrants sleep on the streets by choice, preferring to sleep rough than to pay for accommodation”. But an “able-bodied person can make quite a lot of money from begging on the streets of London”, he said, adding: “Generosity by members of the public is a factor in this; generosity can be enabling and mask those in real need.” Mr Holloway’s comments came a day after Bureau of Investigative Journalism research revealed at least 79 homeless people had died on Britain’s streets or in temporary accommodation in the past six months.