𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Andy Burnham’s national care service – a kind of NHS2 – is not what it seems, and the PM may have set himself a trap. Most people, upon hearing about Burnham’s national care service, likely imagine an NHS style system free at the point of use system and encompassing pretty much everything.

In fact, assuming the rest of the UK follows the Scottish model, accommodation costs will be excluded (that’s about 50% of the cost of old age care). True, Burnham’s reform of the pension triple lock may go some way to releasing around £8bn a year for such a scheme.

But a wholesale all-encompassing plan would require significant tax rises and then some. Maybe spending cuts to policing and defence, neither of which we can afford.

Then there is immigration. The PM’s plan will likely require a huge increase in social care visas.

After all, there’s no chance the Labour government would think to train British care staff. Not when they can steal them from abroad.

And Labour won’t do the sensible thing – like Singapore or Japan – and bring these guest workers in on time-limiter permits.

Oh no! These will be immigrants eligible for settlement in five minutes. Hey, what’s another 10 million people?!?

The Tories gave us the Boriswave immigrants, who are now becoming eligible for permanent residency. Brace now for the “Burnhamwave” with the whole thing repeating all over again!

Look, our social care system needs fixing. And the Tories did naff all about it. So props to Burnham for at least looking at the problem.

Still, read the small print. This NHS2 isn’t what you think it is and won’t cover what you assume it will.

Moreover, it could catalyse a Burnhamwave of immigrants when the UK is struggling to cope with what we have now.

Finally, Burnham’s supporters won’t want to wait. The PM says there is a care crisis, but nothing can be done until after the next election.

Can a crisis wait until 2029? The odds of an early election have also gone way up.