Conservative plans for the future of social care are massively unfair, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Lichfield and Burntwood has claimed.
Theresa May has outlined proposals for people worth £100,000 to pay for care they receive – but has insisted she has not done a u-turn on some details of the manifesto pledge.
But Paul Ray, who will represent the Lib Dems again after coming third in 2015, said the Tory plans would punish retired people in Lichfield and Burntwood.
“This issue has caused Theresa May a manifesto meltdown,” he said. “And despite her further announcement nothing has changed – she is simply pulling the wool over people’s eyes.
“We have learnt nothing to reassure millions of pensioners and their families that there won’t be a limit on how much they will have to pay if they are unlucky enough to need long term care.
“Many family members have given up work to help look after elderly parents,They have helped keep their loved ones out of hospital, helping the NHS free up beds, and instead receive help from social care services in their home. These carers often live in the family home.
“The Conservatives are now proposing to strip these people of their family home. That is simply wrong and massively unfair. Which of us know who will suffer from a long-term condition like dementia? This cost has to shared by us as a community.”
Mr Ray said that while his party accepted people should be made to pay for some of their care, limits must be applied.
“The Liberal Democrats say that we as individuals should contribute to our care costs but these must be capped,” he said. “We are calling for that cap to be £72,000.
“We would also increase income tax by a penny in the pound to ensure there is an extra £6billion a year for the NHS and social care. That would be ring-fenced just for the NHS and social care. On the doorstep that is proving to be a very popular policy.
“With a landslide Conservative majority in prospect, their plans to strip elderly people of their homes shows just why we need a strong opposition. Jeremy Corbyn has failed in that role. A vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for a strong opposition to the Conservatives.”