Shocking levels of street homeless in Manchester offer visible sign of sort of society being created in the UK

Manchester offers an insight into the society being created as a result of the inequalities of wealth recently identified in the Oxfam report (World’s richest 62 people now control as much wealth as poorest 50%, Oxfam says.  There are incredible number of rough sleepers around the City centre. They huddle up in sleeping bags and cardboard boxes in street doorways, whilst the self obsessed walk obliviously by on the other side, often absorbed in their own little mobile phone dominated worlds. This is the Britain being created today, Manchester is not alone with its growing population of homeless on the streets. Less visible are the 1 million plus going to foodbanks (no doubt including many of those rough sleepers). At the same time the government continues to cut away at what is left of the welfare net. Surely it is time to take stock of the type of society we are creating in this country of the haves and the increasingly large number of have nots. It is no answer from those who are fortunate enough to have homes and resources to shut their own doors and hope the growing chaos outside won't effect them.

*published - Guardian letters - 27/1/2016 /  Catholic Herald & Universe - 29/1/2016