A homeless man who found shelter and a cause at a central London occupation demanded government hands Love Activists a new building yesterday after the squatters’ group was evicted on Christmas Eve.

The man, who goes by the name of “Steve,” said he joined the occupation of the former Royal Bank of Scotland offices on Charing Cross Road after sleeping rough for five months.

Together with fellow housing activists he had helped plan a Christmas dinner for the homeless but the Metropolitan Police evicted the squatters’ group on Christmas Eve.