Keir Starmer asked Boris Johnson “is everything OK?” in a heated exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions.
The Labour leader branded the prime minister a “Covent Garden pickpocket” over his social care plans, accusing him of breaking a promise that nobody would have to sell their home to pay for care.
After Johnson denied he had rowed back on his manifesto commitments, Sir Keir said: “People will still be forced to sell their homes to pay for care.
“It’s another broken promise – just like he promised he wouldn’t put up tax. Just like he promised 40 new hospitals. Just like he promised a rail revolution in the north.”
And Starmer said last-minute changes to the planned care cap – which will save the government £900 million off the backs of poorer residents – a “working class dementia tax”.
Hitting out at Tory infighting, amid a brutal briefing war over Johnson’s leadership, Sir Keir said:
“Senior people in Downing Street tell the BBC it’s just not working.”
Echoing the words of a viral TV interview on Monday he added: “Is everything okay, prime minister?”
He continued: “Who knows if he’ll make it to the next election – but if he does, how does he expect anyone to take him and his promises seriously?”
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