How nice to see that at least one of the ‘big’ political parties is interested in this: the Liberal Democrats have a plan for social care – that doesn’t go far enough.

The idea is to reverse tax cuts given to big banks by the Tories in order to raise £2.7 billion for free personal care to be provided to older or disabled people at home.

The problem is that experts are saying the amount raised would not be enough.

This Writer wonders whether the critics have taken account of the possible savings to the National Health Service, which would be able to free an estimated 12,700 hospital beds and save £3 billion.

Certainly those beds, and some of that money, could be used to ease the pressure on the NHS caused by 14 years of Conservative mismanagement (including five years during coalition with the Liberal Democrats).

But some of the cash could certainly go towards this idea.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said he would tackle the shortage of care workers by introducing a minimum wage for them that is £2 per hour above the standard minimum (euphemistically called the National Living Wage by the Tories, even though it is not enough to live on).

He would also create a Royal College of Care Workers, in line with the Royal Colleges of Nursing and Midwives.

He said he wanted to champion carers because he has been a carer most of his life – first for his sick mother, and now for his disabled son.

The BBC quoted him as saying: “Far too often, family carers are being left to pick up the pieces because the care system simply isn’t there for them.”

There’s just one thing wrong here: as a family carer myself, This Writer sees nothing here for those of us who carry out this work.

Where’s the offer for those of us on Carers’ Allowance to have it boosted to the same level as employed care workers? We do the same job, don’t we?

In fact, we work much harder because we never get to go away from our responsibilities and rarely even get a break.

As a family carer himself, it is surprising that Ed Davey has not made any provision in his policy for others in the same situation, whose duties mean they can’t be political leaders as well (for example).

So, while there is much to be commended in this policy, it does not go far enough and there’s no reason to support the Liberal Democrats because of it.

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