Social Care timebomb: Bridget Fox condemns Labour's empty gesture for elderly and disabled

1.48.48pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 31st Jul 2009

As the Government launched the long-awaited green paper on the future of social care in England, Bridget Fox, Liberal Democrat PPC for Islington South & Finsbury, has expressed concern that its proposals are too little, too late.

Bridget Fox, who is standing for election in a borough where over 33,000 people have some form of disability, commented:

"Finding a way that as a society we can ensure decent care for everyone who needs it should be a priority. But launching a green paper so late in the Parliament means there is no chance of any real action.

"Instead of the real solutions that Liberal Democrats have been demanding for years, this is an empty gesture from a dying Government."

Disability organisations and carers groups have expressed concern about plans to make individuals contribute to their own social care insurance.

Bridget adds,

"Compulsory insurance to fund care later in life may work for some, but it is simply not an option for most people with long-term physical and mental health conditions.

"The majority of people with chronic disabilities rely on state benefits to survive, so it is unclear how they will ever be able to contribute to a social care insurance scheme."