Commenting on Labour’s plans to reform social care, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: 

“After 13 years in power spent ducking social care reform we probably shouldn’t be surprised that Labour has once again hit it into the long grass.

“A white paper without any commitment to substantial change in the next Parliament is barely worth the paper it is written on.

“We’re now being offered a series of piecemeal reforms that have not been properly thought through or costed. Seeking consensus is the right approach but that will only work if the cross-party commission is free to consider all ways of funding social care, not just Labour’s preferred policy. The commission should report within a year so changes can be implemented straight away.

”Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Bury South added:

“Gesture politics coupled with desperation has meant that the Government made this announcement now rather than seeking to further develop consensus and properly consider how the scheme would work and be funded.

“The issue of social care for the elderly is too important a subject to be reduced to a sound bites and slogans.

The announcement has been followed by suggestions that the Attendance allowance benefit may be slashed by £100m to pay for it.

“It is important right now that we make it clear to Labour and the Tories that we will not stand by and allow other vulnerable groups and disadvantaged communities to see their budgets slashed to pay for this.

“It’s no use addressing the need of the elderly while punishing the disabled or others to pay for it.”