The number of homeless people and families trapped in temporary accommodation has reached a record high of over 97,000, according to new government figures.

Party Response: Liberal Democrat

Edward Davey, Liberal Democrat local government spokesman, said: "Today’s rise in homeless provides 56,000 more reasons for not voting Labour.

"In 1997 Tony Blair promised to end homelessness, yet seven years later it’s still getting worse.

"Labour have tried to sweep the homeless under the carpet, hiding the problem in temporary accommodation and shelters.

"Instead of warehousing the homeless, the government should properly house the homeless. With over 700,000 empty homes in the UK, and 97,000 homeless families, the government have got no one but themselves to blame.

"Given Britain’s affordable housing problem, these figures probably underestimate the crisis caused by this government’s housing policy.

"With the governor of the Bank of England now predicting a downturn in the housing market, it’s increasingly likely housing could be another electoral nightmare for Labour at the next election."

Forum Response: Shelter

Adam Sampson, director of Shelter, said: "As more people are unable to get a foot on the housing ladder there's a greater need for affordable housing, yet output of new social housing is at a record low.

"The consequence is record numbers of families trapped in temporary accommodation with devastating impact on their health, education and future prospects. 

"The chancellor must commit significant resources to affordable housing in the upcoming spending review."