This is how a Tory MP responded to a constituent worried about homelessness

A Tory MP offered a callous response to one of his constituents who asked him how he would deal with rising homelessness in the area.

Rob Wilson, who was elected as MP for Reading East for the third time on Thursday, simply told Lynda Bowyer: "Don't be a bad loser."

Bowyer, a press photographer and journalist, as well as other Twitter users, responded with shock to the MP's terse answer.

"I'm disgusted. I ask valid questions & u claim I'm a bad loser. Will remind u I'm also a constituent. Answer the questions!" she tweeted back at him.

Speaking to i100.co.uk after the incident Bowyer said she was "deeply disappointed" with the tone her MP took, but confirmed that he had followed up with an email to explain that he had "misread [her] tweet and replied in haste" before laying out exactly how he plans to tackle homelessness in the local area.

Nevertheless, Bowyer's concerns remains:

Homelessness in Reading is a huge issue; and the planned cuts in the Conservative manifesto will cripple those already struggling to exist. Working families on exceedingly low wages (or even zero hours contracts) are having to rely upon benefit top ups to make ends barely meet, and I have genuine concerns for the welfare of the people of this town.

• Lynda Bowyer, speaking to i100.co.uk

A petition calling for Wilson's resignation has also begun on campaign website 38degrees which claims he has a "duty to take seriously all questions set to him by members of the public and to conduct himself in a civil and respectful manner".

A report by Shelter earlier this year showed that homelessness had risen across England by 9 per cent in the previous twelve months to 280,000 cases.

The charity claimed the rise has in part been caused by "benefit cuts and sanctions" under the policy of austerity as well as a "woeful lack of affordable housing".

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