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| MPs debate health and social care tax rise after Starmer accuses Johnson of ‘hammering workers’ – UK politics live | MPs debate health and social care tax rise after Starmer accuses Johnson of ‘hammering workers’ – UK politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| MPs debate tax rise after Keir Starmer atacks Boris Johnson’s tax plans during PMQs | MPs debate tax rise after Keir Starmer atacks Boris Johnson’s tax plans during PMQs |
| In his speech at the start of the Commons debate Jesse Norman, the Treasury minister, cited a Resolution Foundation report (pdf) as evidence that the care plans will help people living in the north. He quoted it as saying: “The increased generosity of the means-test that will have relatively more impact in lower wealth regions.” (See 2.04pm.) | |
| Here is another passage from the report explaining this point. | |
| And here is a chart illustrating this point. | |
| But the report also says that, in other respects, the plans favour people living in the south. It says: | |
| This is from my colleague Rafael Behr on the Keir Starmer v Boris Johnson dynamic. | This is from my colleague Rafael Behr on the Keir Starmer v Boris Johnson dynamic. |
| The Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale has told Times Radio that he will be abstaining in the vote tonight because of his concern about the social care plans, the Times’ Tom Newton Dunn reports. | The Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale has told Times Radio that he will be abstaining in the vote tonight because of his concern about the social care plans, the Times’ Tom Newton Dunn reports. |
| The UK has recorded 191 further coronavirus deaths and 38,975 new Covid cases, according to the latest update on the government’s dashboard. The total number of deaths over the past seven days is up 26.1% on the total for the previous week, and cases are up 15.3% week on week. | The UK has recorded 191 further coronavirus deaths and 38,975 new Covid cases, according to the latest update on the government’s dashboard. The total number of deaths over the past seven days is up 26.1% on the total for the previous week, and cases are up 15.3% week on week. |
| Dominic Cummings, the PM’s former chief adviser and now one of his fiercest critics, has restated his criticism of the plan to raise national insurance to fund health and social care. | Dominic Cummings, the PM’s former chief adviser and now one of his fiercest critics, has restated his criticism of the plan to raise national insurance to fund health and social care. |
| Back in the Commons Steve Baker, the Conservative former minister, is speaking now about the plan for a £12bn health and social care levy. He says the problem is that it is what Labour would be doing. Debt is too high, he says. Sooner or later we will find the state cannot afford the promises it is making to older people. | Back in the Commons Steve Baker, the Conservative former minister, is speaking now about the plan for a £12bn health and social care levy. He says the problem is that it is what Labour would be doing. Debt is too high, he says. Sooner or later we will find the state cannot afford the promises it is making to older people. |
| He says this is the beginning of a generational crisis. The country can now no longer afford the welfare promises made to citizens, he says. Other countries face the same problem. “We are in a dreadful position,” he says. | He says this is the beginning of a generational crisis. The country can now no longer afford the welfare promises made to citizens, he says. Other countries face the same problem. “We are in a dreadful position,” he says. |
| He says there will be only one party that can address this: the Conservative party. | He says there will be only one party that can address this: the Conservative party. |
| He says they will have to rediscover their confidence as free-market Conservatives. | He says they will have to rediscover their confidence as free-market Conservatives. |
| He will not be able to vote with the government tonight, he says. | He will not be able to vote with the government tonight, he says. |
| Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, has said he got Marcus Rashford muddled with Maro Itoje because he had mixed up the two issues the men had been campaigning on, which both came up in his Evening Standard interview. (See 1.28pm.) Williamson said: | Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, has said he got Marcus Rashford muddled with Maro Itoje because he had mixed up the two issues the men had been campaigning on, which both came up in his Evening Standard interview. (See 1.28pm.) Williamson said: |
| It would have been easy to include an apology in the statement, but Williamson chose not to. | It would have been easy to include an apology in the statement, but Williamson chose not to. |
| Nicola Sturgeon has told MSPs that her government’s controversial proposals for vaccine passports are “a reasonable response to a very difficult situation, and much more proportionate than any likely alternatives”, ahead of a debate on the plans in Holyrood tomorrow. | Nicola Sturgeon has told MSPs that her government’s controversial proposals for vaccine passports are “a reasonable response to a very difficult situation, and much more proportionate than any likely alternatives”, ahead of a debate on the plans in Holyrood tomorrow. |
| Opposition parties have raised concerns that the plans to require vaccine certification for entry to nightclubs and large-scale gatherings such as music festivals and football matches threaten civil liberties and risk increasing vaccine hesitancy. | Opposition parties have raised concerns that the plans to require vaccine certification for entry to nightclubs and large-scale gatherings such as music festivals and football matches threaten civil liberties and risk increasing vaccine hesitancy. |
| The Scottish Greens are under particular scrutiny having previously described vaccine passports as “a real danger to generational injustice”. Since signing their cooperation deal with the Scottish government they are bound by collective responsibility on the issue. | The Scottish Greens are under particular scrutiny having previously described vaccine passports as “a real danger to generational injustice”. Since signing their cooperation deal with the Scottish government they are bound by collective responsibility on the issue. |
| During her Covid statement to the Scottish parliament, Sturgeon said it was important to bear in mind that Scotland was far from alone in considering the scheme. She said: | During her Covid statement to the Scottish parliament, Sturgeon said it was important to bear in mind that Scotland was far from alone in considering the scheme. She said: |
| Sturgeon also said that, although infection levels were showing welcome signs of stabilisation, they remained “far too high” across the country, with hospital occupancy rising sharply. | Sturgeon also said that, although infection levels were showing welcome signs of stabilisation, they remained “far too high” across the country, with hospital occupancy rising sharply. |
| She added that recent data gave her hope that “we can turn the corner through continued care and caution and stringent compliance with existing mitigations and without having to re-introduce any tighter restrictions”. | She added that recent data gave her hope that “we can turn the corner through continued care and caution and stringent compliance with existing mitigations and without having to re-introduce any tighter restrictions”. |
| Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, has said he supports the proposal from his fellow leftwinger Richard Burgon for the national insurance increase to be replaced by a wealth tax on people with assets worth more than £5m. (See 11.52am.) | Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, has said he supports the proposal from his fellow leftwinger Richard Burgon for the national insurance increase to be replaced by a wealth tax on people with assets worth more than £5m. (See 11.52am.) |
| Earlier in the Commons Conservative MPs urged the government to drop plans for vaccine passports after accusing a minister of talking “rubbish” and picking an “unnecessary fight” with them, PA Media reports. It says the vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, also caused head-shaking among colleagues when he told MPs there would be “some essential services which will not need” people to show a Covid passport – heightening their fears over the government’s proposals. | Earlier in the Commons Conservative MPs urged the government to drop plans for vaccine passports after accusing a minister of talking “rubbish” and picking an “unnecessary fight” with them, PA Media reports. It says the vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, also caused head-shaking among colleagues when he told MPs there would be “some essential services which will not need” people to show a Covid passport – heightening their fears over the government’s proposals. |
| The government has said it wants to ensure that, from the end of September, people attending nightclubs in England will need to show that they have been fully vaccinated. | The government has said it wants to ensure that, from the end of September, people attending nightclubs in England will need to show that they have been fully vaccinated. |
| In response to an urgent question on this, Zahawi told MPs: | In response to an urgent question on this, Zahawi told MPs: |
| But William Wragg (Con) told Zahawi: | But William Wragg (Con) told Zahawi: |
| Back in the Commons Jake Berry, the former minister who now chairs the Northern Research Group, which represents Tory MP from the north of England, is speaking now. | Back in the Commons Jake Berry, the former minister who now chairs the Northern Research Group, which represents Tory MP from the north of England, is speaking now. |
| Berry spoke out about the plans before the full details were published and, unlike some “rebel” Tories who have changed their tune, he is restating his objections. | Berry spoke out about the plans before the full details were published and, unlike some “rebel” Tories who have changed their tune, he is restating his objections. |
| He says he fears it could be “particularly damaging” for people living in the north. It will affect people on lower incomes, he says, and in the north property prices are lower, meaning they are more at risk of losing their homes. | He says he fears it could be “particularly damaging” for people living in the north. It will affect people on lower incomes, he says, and in the north property prices are lower, meaning they are more at risk of losing their homes. |
| His Tory colleague, Dehenna Davison, intervenes to suggest that the government should take account of regional disparities when setting the means-test thresholds for care. Berry says that is an excellent idea. | His Tory colleague, Dehenna Davison, intervenes to suggest that the government should take account of regional disparities when setting the means-test thresholds for care. Berry says that is an excellent idea. |
| He also says he is concerned that the levy will become a permanent NHS tax. No party will be able to agree to take away money from the NHS, he says. And he says this will ultimately harm the Tories because we will never outbid the Labour Party in the arms race of an NHS tax”. | He also says he is concerned that the levy will become a permanent NHS tax. No party will be able to agree to take away money from the NHS, he says. And he says this will ultimately harm the Tories because we will never outbid the Labour Party in the arms race of an NHS tax”. |
| He says for these reasons he will not be supporting the government tonight. | He says for these reasons he will not be supporting the government tonight. |
| (That does not necessarily mean he will vote against; he may just be abstaining.) | (That does not necessarily mean he will vote against; he may just be abstaining.) |
| UPDATE: Here is an extract from Berry’s speech. | UPDATE: Here is an extract from Berry’s speech. |