Major Under Fire for Calling Panhandlers an ‘Eyesore’ : Britain: The prime minister’s comments provoke an outcry from political, religious and civic leaders. He stands by his remarks.

Prime Minister John Major’s public criticism of beggars drew fire from political, religious and civic leaders Sunday in what is becoming another row for the British government.

During an interview with a Bristol newspaper, Major described panhandling as “offensive and unjustified” and called beggars an “eyesore” who should be reported to police. The comments, published Friday, gained wide publicity over the weekend and provoked an outcry from many quarters.

Tony Blair, the Labor Party domestic affairs spokesman who is favored to be the party’s next leader, called the statement petty.

Blair said Major is trying to deflect attention away from bigger problems, such as “education, a million people under 25 out of work, major problems of putting this country back on its feet.”

“The real criticism of what the prime minister has done is not only its vindictiveness against some who will be genuinely destitute, it is the notion that this is what we should be concentrating on,” he said.

The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt. Rev. David Sheppard, said there is no justification for attacking society’s most “vulnerable elements.”

“I find it a very unlovely feature of public life when people in power pick on the most despised groups in society rather than asking what the causes are.”

Social workers were equally forceful in their condemnation of Major, who came to power in 1990 saying he wanted to be the leader of a classless, caring society.

“He is passing the buck. He is having a go at homeless people because they would appear to be defenseless,” said Stan Burridge, one of the organizers of a Sunday rally by homeless protesters.

The London rally, planned before Major made his comments, was intended to commemorate the 600 people estimated to die on Britain’s streets every year.

Major was unrepentant during a campaign stop Saturday, saying: “I stand by what I said. There is no need for begging.”

And his remarks seemed to strike a responsive chord with many in the public. The Conservative Party headquarters reported that telephone calls were running 2 to 1 in favor of the prime minister.

In recent weeks, newspapers have printed accounts of organized gangs of beggars who aggressively accost passersby. One gang operating on the London subway was reported to be posing as refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina and making up to $30,000 a week.

In England, beggars have no official status. Police treat them as vagrants or confidence tricksters, and they are subject to ancient laws with penalties of up to $1,500. Each year about 1,000 panhandlers are held for questioning by police.

Sheppard, on BBC Radio, said: “If there are aggressive tramps frightening people, yes, they should be reported to the police and there should be firm action. But that is a tiny handful of cases.”