Body of 'homeless' man discovered by Westminster Tube station entrance on the Parliamentary estate

A man found dead near the Tube entrance to the Houses of Parliament has sparked a police investigation.

Two Labour MPs have claimed on social media that the man was homeless.

Metropolitan Police and paramedics were called to the Westminster underground station entrance shortly before 7.20am on Wednesday (February 14).

An unresponsive man was reported near exit three of the station and pronounced dead at the scene. His death is being treated as "unexplained but not suspicious" by police.

The exit three underpass is often used by homeless people to sleep in during the night; the entrance to the Parliamentary estate has remained closed throughout Wednesday.

Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner wrote on Twitter: "A homeless man who was seen frequently at the tube entrance to Portcullis House Westminster underground station has been found dead today.

"Whatever the circumstances it's a terrible tragedy that somebody ends their days like this, the government must do more to combat homelessness."

Labour MP Neil Coyle said: "I've been told that the man who died on Parliament's doorstep this morning was homeless. What an appalling indictment of government failure."

He tweeted: "When a homeless man dies on the government's doorstep, ministers must stop ignoring the problem and commit to end rough sleeping."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 7.17am to reports of an unresponsive male in the underpass of exit three of Westminster Underground Station.

"Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended.

"The man was pronounced dead at the scene at 7.33am. At this early stage in the investigation, the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

"A crime scene is in place and the exit remains closed. A file will be prepared for the coroner."

A House of Commons spokesman said: "We are saddened to hear of the death of an individual this morning at Westminster Tube Station and offer our condolences to their friends and family at this difficult time."

More than half the rough sleepers in west London are in Westminster , with 217 people sleeping on the borough's streets in autumn 2017.

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