Olis Johnson Will try to persuade Conservative Only one day after announcing the new policy to undermine the declaration, MPs supported his plan to address social care in a quick vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
this Prime Minister There was a political gamble on Tuesday because he cancelled election promises by increasing national insurance contributions to deal with the backlog of election promises. National Health Service It was established during Covid and brought long overdue reforms to the British social care system.
The Conservative Party’s opposition to the plan at the time of the first leak was very fierce, but any back-seat rebellion seemed to be subdued on Tuesday, as MPs hardly challenged the Prime Minister when they submitted their proposals to the House of Commons.
But the plan—along with another announcement that broke the manifesto to suspend the “triple lock” on pensions—has freed Mr. Johnson from his traditional low-tax conservatism.
The prime minister also refused to make a firm promise that he would not increase taxes again-even though he said he did not want this to happen.
“Of course I don’t want to increase taxes in this Parliament. If you want me to make that kind of emotional commitment, of course it is,” he said at a press conference in Downing Street, next to Health Minister Sajid. · Javid and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rich Sunak.
He said: “There are not many people in the Conservative Party… who are more committed to tax cuts than the three people standing in front of you today, and tax cuts as much as possible. I can assure you that it is true.”
Mr. Sunak added: “None of us here want to be in a situation where we are raising taxes.”
However, the British Institute of Finance (IFS) think tank stated that these announcements mean that tax revenues will reach the highest share of national income in history. Together with the previous announcements, the UK’s tax burden will reach the highest ever sustained level.
Mr. Johnson is expected to address the influential 1922 Conservative Backbench Committee of Parliamentarians before voting on Wednesday.
The government’s plan will introduce a new health and social care tax on the basis of an increase of 1.25 percentage points in National Insurance (NI) contributions-which violates the Conservative Party’s commitment not to increase NI.
Under the new taxation, a typical basic taxpayer with an income of £24,100 will pay an extra £180 a year, while a high-rate taxpayer with an income of £67,100 will pay an additional £715 per year.
In addition to providing additional funding for the NHS to deal with the backlog during the Covid-19 pandemic, the new £36 billion package over three years will also reform the way that adult social care is funded in England.
Mr Johnson said that from October 2023, the lifetime care cost will be capped at £86,000, which will protect people from the “catastrophic fear of losing everything”.
this government The cost of care for people with assets under £20,000 will be paid in full, and care will be paid for people with assets between £20,000 and £100,000.
As a result, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive an additional £2.2 billion each year, which is about 15% higher than the income they contribute through taxation, creating what the ministers call a “union dividend” of £300 million.
As the Conservative Party, breach of promises and tax increases should worry us.
It is reported that when Johnson announced his plan to them on Tuesday morning, some cabinet members challenged them in private, but no one resigned because of this principle.
In the House of Commons, Conservative backbencher Richard Drax (South Dorset) said: “As a Conservative party, breach of promises and tax increases should worry us. Our financial situation is very dangerous. If the money is If you don’t want to disappear into another black hole, then must the NHS be thoroughly reviewed?
“Does my respected friend agree with me that the way the Conservative Party increases revenue is to lower taxes rather than raise taxes?”
The prime minister responded that he did agree with “this general proposition,” but the pandemic meant that it had to be increased.
Another backbencher was not satisfied with the proposal itself.
Stephen McPartland said that without more details, he cannot support the government’s social care plan.
Congressman Stevenage said on Twitter: “The new health and social care tax has not provided new funding for social care for at least three years. There is no money to pay for living expenses, only personal care expenses. Selling your home is just Postponed. This is a tax on work.
“I need more details to consider supporting it.”
The Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats said on Wednesday that they would oppose these measures in Parliament, but former Health Minister Jeremy Hunt said he thought the government would win the vote.
He told the BBC: “I can’t imagine any backbenchers wanting to turn to their own voters and say they are trying to vote against additional funding for the NHS and the care system.”
A YouGov poll found that voters are divided on the rise in national insurance.
Approximately 44% of respondents supported this initiative, while 43% opposed it.
Among Conservative Party voters, 59% support and 34% oppose it, while only one-third of Labour Party supporters support this move, and 55% oppose it.
