UK politics live: Pat McFadden tells Labour activists they should not defend benefits system ‘status quo’ because it ‘writes off’ claimants
Work and pensions secretary says the current system is flawed because it consigns too many people to a life on benefits when they would be better off working‘I can deliver’: Burnham pledges radical change on eve of Labour conferenceKuenssberg puts it to Burnham that, according to the Health Foundation, a system offering adult social care free at the point of delivery (like healthcare delivered by the NHS) would cost £18bn.Burnham says the cost is “not that high” (ie, not as high as £18bn).Not that high.But can I directly deal with this issue of the costs?Louise Casey is still doing an official review for us, so I will set out the vision, if you like, on Tuesday [in his speech to the conference].Louise will then help us with the how. How do we make this happen? When can we make it happen? Continue reading...
Reporting preview
Q: Will you do social care reform before the next election in 2029?
Burnham said he would stick to the Labour manifesto, and its commitments on tax (which rule out rises in income tax, national insurance or VAT).
Q: But what about a special, new tax to fund social care?
double quotation markTrust is really important to me here. I don’t think you can reform this system without it, without consensus.
So I’m saying to you that I will develop a very clear plan, and I will put that plan to the public at a general election.
This preview is a source-linked editorial excerpt. Continue to the original publisher for the complete report, updates and full context.