Andy Burnham told to call election before hitting UK with ‘death tax’ | Politics | News
Andy Burnham is heading for “disaster” if he revives plans for a “death tax” to fund social care and gives Angela Rayner the task of delivering it, according to the man who would be Chancellor if Nigel Farage becomes prime minister.
Robert Jenrick has launched a blistering attack on the new Prime Minister as he announced National Care Service plans in the final days of the Gordon Brown Government. One of the financing options considered was a 10% tax on people’s estates when they die.
Mr Jenrick said Mr Burnham did not have the power to introduce a new tax and should call a general election if he wanted to give the country a “slap”.
Attempts to win cross-party support for social care collapsed in 2010 when the Conservative Party’s then-Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley accused Labor of wanting a “death tax”. Mr Burnham again put forward the idea of a “national care tax” in 2023, with “the richest paying the most”.
Mr Jenrick was alarmed by reports that Ms Rayner, the former deputy prime minister who resigned last year after failing to pay £40,000 in stamp duty, was in line to become the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. It is reported that the new maintenance service could cost up to £18bn a year.
The Reform MP warned against introducing a “death tax”, saying: “It’s a recipe for disaster. If Sunday Express readers don’t remember voting for it, it’s because they didn’t…”
“Reform UK will lead the campaign to stop him getting access to other people’s money again. The last thing our country needs is another massive tax increase on people who have worked and worked hard all their lives.”
“Burnham has no authority over this. If he wants to impose a big tax on the county he should call a general election and see what the British people think. He will be in for a rude awakening.”
