Health and Social Care Levy

Debate between Rachel Reeves and Paul Holmes

1st reading
Wednesday 8th September 2021 Commons Chamber

[Rachel Reeves (Leeds West) (Lab)]

There are two tests for the package announced yesterday. First, does it fix social care? Secondly, is it funded fairly? The answer to both those questions is no. It is a broken promise, it is unfair, and it is a tax on jobs. At the general election less than two years ago, the Prime Minister said to voters:

“Read my lips, we will not be raising taxes on income or VAT or national insurance.”

The Chancellor of the Exchequer—I am not sure where he is today—went further and solemnly said:

“Our plans are to cut taxes for the lowest paid through cutting national insurance.”

The Government have broken their legally binding promise on international development, they are breaking it again on the triple lock, and the country is now littered with Tory broken promises torn from the election manifestos of all Conservative Members—promises that they made to their constituents and their country. Promises used to count for something; today the Tory word, and guarantees from the Prime Minister, count for absolutely nothing at all.

[Paul Holmes (Eastleigh) (Con)]

rose—

[Rachel Reeves]

I will take an intervention from the hon. Gentleman, and perhaps he can tell us what he put on his election leaflets.

[Paul Holmes]

I thank the hon. Lady for giving way, and I remind her that the Conservative party won on the basis of its election manifesto, and the Labour party lost. In the interests of fairness and for the people of this country who voted for her party, will she outline to the House what the Labour party’s plan is to fix social care, because so far we have heard nothing?

[Rachel Reeves]

I will come on to that in a moment, but that sums it up. You went into the election with a set of promises, and now you are breaking them one by one.