MP votes against National Insurance hike for low paid workers and the self employed

Last night in Parliament, local MP Tim Farron voted against Conservative Government plans to hike National Insurance for low paid workers and the self-employed.

The proposed tax rises come as part of the Government's plans to reform social care, but Tim argues these plans will do nothing to improve the quality and standard of care people receive in Cumbria or to fix the huge staffing crisis in the sector.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Tim said: "There was a promise not to raise taxes. If the Government chose to break that promise, I would be happy to provide them with cover for that. Labour may have dodged the issue, but I am clear that we should raise income tax so that this is paid for by people who have the wealth and ability to pay for it - not by National Insurance, which often will disproportionately fall on younger working-age people.

"This reform of social care does nothing to tackle the 120,000 care assistant vacancies in our country, or to give social care staff the pay and esteem they deserve. One reason there is a crisis is that wonderful people can earn more money stacking shelves than they can caring for our loved ones, of whatever age. This plan will do nothing to give local authorities the money they need to backfill the terrible backlog and black holes that the Government have left them. Again, they are taking unpaid carers for granted. This is a massive missed opportunity that will be paid for by people who have the least.

"In my community in Cumbria, we are about 10 years above the national average age. We have a smaller working-age population and a disproportionately large population in need of care. We have colossal staffing shortages as things are. This measure does nothing to meet the needs of the people in my community, because it does nothing to invest in the quality and standard of the care that they will receive."