Cardboard Citizens performs at Labour Party Conference

Homeless theatre company Cardboard Citizens has staged a performance at this year's Labour Party Conference.

The company performed Cathy, the theatrical restaging of Ken Loach's film Cathy Come Home, which prompted the Housing Act 50 years ago.

The appearance formed part of the party's Homelessness Network launch, which has been founded in order to tackle rising homelessness.

Cathy is directed by Adrian Jackson and looks at issues surrounding gentrification, homelessness, affordable housing and poverty in the UK. The piece is a forum play, which allows the audience to offer their opinions and to take action. For the Labour Party performance the format was reversed and at the end of the piece the cast members made suggestions for legislative change to the audience, who were composed of politicians and policy makers.

Jackson said: "We are delighted to be performing Cathy at the Labour Party Conference – but we are not partisan, we wish we could be at all the party conferences, the play is so important and so timely."

John Healey MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, said: "The increase in homelessness since 2010 is visible in almost every town and city in the country. The Labour Homelessness Network is a mark of our determination that Labour in government will act to reverse rising homelessness, and a recognition of the work that Labour councils are already doing."