Help the poor, MP tells churches

LEWES MP Norman Baker has slammed the Church Authorities for not selling their property assets to help the poor.

In the Commons the MP called on the Church to cut expenditure on bishops palaces, chauffeurs and luxury lifestyles in order to feed those who are homeless and in desolation.

He says: 'The Church owns a substantial amount of property bang in the middle of London and worth a great deal of money.

'Why do they have to have their headquarters at No 1 Millbank, next to Westminster, which must be hugely expensive to service?

Reports, he added, showed that the Church owns property assets totalling a staggering 1,016 million. On top of that, the annual income from rents is another 41.4 million.

The MP told the Commons: 'They should pay less attention to wine cellars and more to scripture.