𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

LBC host and Express.co.uk columnist Nick Ferrari asked Veterans Minister Louise Sandher-Jones just how many veterans are sleeping rough on the eve of Remembrance Day – but she struggled to give an answer. Ferrari began: “Do you have an idea roughly of how many veterans sleep rough on our streets each night as we approach Christmas, minister?”

She replied: “Those numbers are really hard to know, and of course, one veteran on the streets is too many. We have obviously…” Ferrari interjected, pressing the politician for a figure to which Sandher-Jones replied: “Well, across the rough sleeping population, veterans certainly don’t make up any more than I’d expect to see, and I want to get that number down to zero.” However, the LBC host wasn’t convinced by her words, asking again: “What do you think the number is, minister?”

She said she sees “referrals in the tens every week” and “knows we’ve helped over 1,000 people access housing through Op Fortidude”.

“We also know that those at risk of homelessness are a bigger number, and those stats are more difficult to track,” Sandher-Jones added. “But actually I really want to take this back to Valour because one of the really key things…”

Again, Ferrari cut in as he stated: “I don’t think you know the figure because I have asked you three times, and I would have thought if you want to talk about the importance of Operation Fortitude, it might have been a good idea to look at the number, might have it, minister?”

Fumbling over her words, she explained: “I think it’s important to recognise that people who are sleeping on the streets. So the way we can collect that data…”

As she was speaking, Ferrari interupted her to claim there are currently 3,700 veterans believed to be sleeping rough on the streets. Taken aback by his comments, the Labour minister simply replied, saying: “Erm, yeah…”

LBC listeners commented on the interview on X, with one writing: “Hopelessly unprepared to be interviewed about your job should be sackable.” Another said: “I still can’t believe this. How brazen do you have to be that the MINISTER OF VETERANS goes on @LBC and not know the only number that matters.”

A third said: “What a complete car crash of an interview. Great work not letting this wet wipe waste of space off the hook.” Despite the backlash, another listener penned: “Ferrari is on his usual ‘gotcha’ nonsense.”