Boris Johnson’s £12 billion tax increase to pay for health and social care is underway | politics news

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Boris Johnson’s £12 billion tax increase to pay for health and social care has cleared the House of Commons.

MPs voted 307 to 251, a majority of 56, to approve the Health and Social Care Tax Act.

Ten conservatives rebelled to oppose the legislation: John Barron (Basildon and Bellerichai), Christopher Chubb (Christchurch), Philip Davis (Shipley), Dehenna Davison (Bishop of Auckland), Richard Drax (south of Dorset), Ben Everett (Milton Keynes North), Marcus Fish ( Yeovil), Craig McKinlay (South of Thanet), Esther McVeigh (Taton), and John Redwood (Wokingham).

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Is the welfare plan fair or unfair?

No votes were recorded for the other 44 Conservatives, although this does not mean an abstention.

The prime minister saw his working majority of 83 votes cut off in the vote, but that was not enough to derail the legislation, which will now be scrutinized by his peers in the House of Lords later.

The Prime Minister announced last week that there will be a 1.25% increase in National Insurance contributions from April 2022 in an effort to tackle the funding crisis in the health and social care system.

The move breaks the manifesto’s pledge not to raise the rate of income tax, value-added tax or national insurance and has sparked opposition among Tory party members.

Labor is also opposed to the plans, with party leader Sir Keir Starmer telling Sky News last week he would “not look to working people” to fund health and social care.

Johnson said the extra money would help tackle the backlog on the NHS caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as cover the cost of reforming England’s social care system.

Downing Street said the changes would end “unexpected and catastrophic” care costs for families.

From October 2023, the state will cover the costs of care for anyone with assets under £20,000.

Those with assets of between £20,000 and £100,000 are expected to contribute towards their costs, but will also receive some state support.

Under the plans, no one will have to pay more than £86,000 for care costs in their lifetime.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will get an additional £2.2 billion in health and social care spending as part of the tax.

Treasury Secretary Jesse Norman, speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, hailed the “historic” legislation.

“This tax will enable the government to address the backlog in the NHS, it will provide a new permanent way to pay for the government’s social care reforms and it will allow the government to fund its vision for the long-term future of health and social care in this country.”

But Shadow Treasurer James Murray said the measure was a “tax on workers and their jobs”, while SNB economics spokeswoman Alison Thewlis called the tax “totally unjustified” and “unfair”.

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Social Welfare: Conservatives stand by for tax increases

Conservative MP John Barron expressed concerns about the “rush” with which the plans are being implemented, telling the House of Commons: “This will cost jobs, lower wages and drive up prices”.

His fellow Conservative Richard Drax also expressed skepticism, saying: “Labour spending by spending billions of pounds we can’t afford won’t deceive voters for long. The NHS has become a religion. Nobody dares to take its name.”

“But a drastic review of health care provision is critical if we don’t want to pump money into a black hole. We’ve heard that expression over and over today, it’s an endless hole. Without reform, this money, so well intended by the government, will be gone.”

Another Conservative rebel Craig McKinley said: “The government should be commended for finally thinking about these things, but I think the rush is not worth it at this time.

“My sadness is that we’re just trying to raise taxes. That’s not what the Conservatives do. We’re going to end up taxing the highest level of GDP for 70 years.”

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