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Fiery exchange on social care shortfall

Corbyn shrugs off Tory slur slinging to take on Budget mess

JEREMY CORBYN battled through “ageist, rude and disgusting” remarks from the Tory benches yesterday to condemn the shocking state of adult social care in England presided over by the government.

Labour MP Laura Smith said that Mr Corbyn was targeted with a grotesque slur by Tory whip Andrew Griffiths as the Labour leader explained that more than a million elderly people in England are not getting the care they need.

Mr Corbyn blasted through the ensuing racket: “Over £6 billion would have been cut from social care budgets by next March [since 2010].

“I hope the honourable member begins to understand what it’s like to wait for social care stuck in a hospital bed while other people are having to give up their work to care for them.”

Labour MPs could be heard shouting “shame on you” towards the Tory benches, while others shouted “get out” and pointed to the exit.

Mr Corbyn said: “The uncaring, uncouth attitude of certain members opposite needs to be called out.”

He predicted that Chancellor Philip Hammond’s Budget will unravel within days and warned that “misery” will continue for people across the country.

Age UK criticised Mr Hammond for being “desperately short-sighted” by not pledging more funding to make up for years of cuts.

Charity director said Caroline Abrahams said: “Unfortunately there was little in this Budget to cheer older people.”

Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) director Tom Kibasi also noted the “deafening silence on social care funding” in the Budget.

He noted the backlash to the Tories’ election manifesto proposal of a “death tax” to pay for care.

Since 2009-10 there has been a 17 per cent cut in social care funding despite significant increases in demand as a result of a growing and ageing population.

And since 2005-6 there has been a staggering 27 per cent decline in the number of people accessing the social care they need.

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