John Bird on Miliband giving money to Manchester beggar

The Labour leader was wrong to give money to a beggar on a Manchester street, said the founder of the Big Issue magazine.

John Bird said Ed Miliband was a "role model to many of us" and should know that giving money to beggars would keep them on the streets, and lead to more problems.

He said the 16-year-Romanian girl in the picture was in danger of "some scumbag propositioning her" while she remained on the streets.

Mr Bird spoke to Andrew Neil, along with Labour MP Margaret Curran and Conservative MP Amber Rudd, after they watched images of Mr Miliband giving money to the teenage girl.

Mr Bird said: "I did not start the Big Issue as a means for allowing people to top up their benefits."

More: Follow @daily_politics on Twitter and like us on Facebook and watch a recent clip and watch full programmes on iPlayer