MEMBERS of the homeless community in Oxford have said they felt ‘disgusted’ after an Oxford City Councillor said people rough sleeping on the streets were a ‘disgrace’.

Labour councillor John Tanner received a backlash of outrage from members of the public after he said the homeless were a disgrace and ‘ought to have more respect’ on BBC Radio Oxford.

Yesterday, Neo, a homeless man who works to improve the lives of people living on the streets, said he thought Mr Tanners comments were disgusting.

The busker added: “They [the councillors] just do not have a clue about why people do what they do. People need to be educated more in the different types of homelessness.”

Neo added he thought Mr Tanner’s apology ‘did not really mean anything’ adding the reason the Littlemore councillor made the comments in the first place was because he felt that way.

His comments also prompted the Oxford Green Party to consider launching a Standards Board complaint against him for allegedly breaching the councillor code of member conduct. In response to the furore Mr Tanner issued a public apology for his remarks.

He said: “I unreservedly apologise for the remarks I made on local radio about beggars in Oxford.

“It is a disgrace that we have beggars on the streets of Oxford but I do not blame the beggars for this situation. My comments were very ill-advised and do not reflect what I really think.”