Secret Oxford Professor

I’m now in the water with the migrants preparing to get onto a boat

No they shouldn't. They do important work and it's often unpleasant, but it's largely unskilled labour. It's great that Burnham is taking social care seriously, but gov should be investing in tech & AI where there is real potential to improve quality AND ultimately reduce costs.

EXC: Officials have worked up plans for a new 1.8% income tax to fund Andy Burnham’s social care reforms. The Health Department is looking at proposals by Re:State, a Burnham-linked think tank, which suggests a new “social insurance” model. Civil servants commissioned expert advice on the idea after access talks with Burnham’s team. The plan would involve mandatory contributions on income over £6,240 for workers over the age of 34. The money would be invested and used to pay for the care of each cohort when they reach old age, and would be topped up by contributions from wealthier pensioners. No10 says Burnham won’t decide how to fund his plans until after an accelerated Casey review is published, but this idea is in the mix — alongside the “death tax” estate levy reported last week.