National Social Care?

This report from the House of Lords has not received the attention it should.  Despite being chaired by a Tory member, the Committee argued for a taxpayer funded "National Social Care Service".  This is an issue that has been repeatedly ducked.  I can recall speaking to a former Cabinet member in the Blair government who recalled the failure to create such a thing as being a major failure of that government.

Certainly it is surprising to hear Michael Forsyth, who when he was in the Commons was regard as an arch-Thatcherite, suggested such an expansion of state services.

Certainly the current system of just topping up the Council Tax bit by bit is not a viable alternative.