I voted against the Government’s proposals to raise National Insurance by 1.25%. This unfair tax rise will hit workers, many of whom are also facing a £20 per week cut to their Universal Credit and the end of the furlough scheme. The Tory’s long delayed ‘plan’ to fix the social care fails to address the seriousness of the crisis after more than a decade of Tory cuts and is not enough to clear the NHS backlog. Despite this, the Government were able to use their majority in the House of Commons to pass the rise by 319 votes to 248.

A Labour Government would ensure those with the broadest shoulders pay their fair share. We would shift the focus of support towards prevention and early help with the underpinning principle of ‘home first’ which is where the most people want to stay. I would also like to see investment in the workforce to encourage a well-motivated, skilled and properly rewarded carers, with more support for unpaid carers.