CAMPAIGNERS and politicians are fighting against a "counterproductive and ineffective" policing tactic which they said "scapegoats the homeless".

The Argus revealed on Monday that Sussex Police are using undercover officers to target beggars on the streets of Brighton and courts are often punishing homeless people convicted of begging with financial penalties.

Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas condemned the policy.

She said: " It’s the Government’s policies driving people into poverty and homelessness that are anti-social, not begging, and arresting desperate, vulnerable individuals does nothing to tackle the root causes of the problem.

"Whilst it’s welcome that local police say they only arrest individuals who have refused help, there is still a worrying increase in prosecutions locally and I’ve written to chief superintendent Nev Kemp to argue that this type of enforcement is likely to be counterproductive and ineffective.

"I’d rather see laws requiring proper government investment in housing than laws that scapegoat the homeless.”

Campaigners from a Brighton-based group called Love Activists have launched a petition calling for the government to overturn laws which criminalise beggars under the Vagrancy Act.

A spokesman said: "These laws and their enforcement victimise vulnerable people who are already suffering the daily struggle of life on the streets or in insecure and unstable temporary accommodation.

"We believe that kicking someone for limping when it is you who cut off their leg is shameless and cruel.

"We believe that the Government should be providing homes for the homeless, not handcuffs."

Sussex' Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne defended the tactic as "the right way" to address the problem.

She said: "The reasons that people beg varies greatly. It is a complex issue which I am pleased to see Sussex Police are addressing in the right way by working closely with other support agencies.

“It is only those individuals who refuse to accept help and will not engage with police and partner agencies that run the risk of being arrested for begging.

“Interventions, whether they are enforcement or supportive, need to address the underlying issues if they are to successfully help those that find themselves in this situation.”

To support Love Activists's petition sign "stop criminalising homelessness and begging" at you.38degrees.org.uk