Fighting back
It's difficult to remember hearing Alan Johnson, the health secretary, sounding so rattled on the radio before in the face of persistent questioning from Evan Davis. The new Today presenter effectively homed in on the problem, however. Today's element of the government fightback - re-examining social care for the elderly - is flagging up a problem (£6 bn funding gap) rather than a solution.
Gordon Brown will today talk about his desire help people to save for old age in a way which "insures them and protects their houses and their inheritance", while Johnson hinted that co-payment may be the answer. We are told this is very important for the Prime Minister.
But it's all very vague and all that's on the table is a six month consultation, leading to a Green Paper next year - the first stage in the legislative process. A solution is clearly a long way off. All very laudible, except the government is trying to use this consultation get good headlines now - to get it out of a short term PR hole. And it's hard to make this sticking plaster fit.
Yes, well they're absolutely desperate to be seen to be 'doing something' about these long term problems - partly also to divert attention from the current shambles.
Why now? When did they come to the conclusion that this might be a possibility?
And what is their 'great plan' for the future? Brown's 'Vision'?
Posted by: Chuck Unsworth | 12 May 2008 09:37:38