Live television blunder on long term care policy

Chancellor Alistair Darling was forced to admit that Labour has dropped its controversial proposals for a death tax, during the first of the live pre-election television debates.

The controversial 10 per cent take from the value of all estates when somebody dies was the government’s heavy handed method of paying for the costs of care for the elderly.

Darling was grudgingly forced to admit that the death tax is not included in the latest white paper on social care and changes on long term care are unlikely before 2015. If this gaffe is correct, it means the government has given up on the personal care reform legislation that the House of Lords kicked into touch.

Long term care: News update: 30 March 2010