Politics

Watch: Laura Kuenssberg praises Johnson for ‘tackling the hard issues’

Laura Kuenssberg has been criticised for framing the debate on health and social care to reflect positively on the prime minister.

Boris Johnson faces a Tory backlash over plans to hike National Insurance to help fund social care reforms as Cabinet talks over the final details of the policy continued.

The PM is set to break a manifesto commitment by increasing National Insurance, risking unrest within his Cabinet and on the backbenchers.

Tory former Cabinet minister Sir John Redwood has warned against a “stupid” tax rise, saying:

“A tax on jobs when you want to promote more and better-paid employment is particularly stupid.”

While Tory former chancellors Lord Hammond, Lord Clarke and Lord Lamont have all criticised the plan to increase National Insurance.

But Johnson could have found a supporter in the BBC’s political editor, who has been called out for “interesting framing” of the dilemma.

Speaking on Politics Live she suggested a vote might appease “grumpy” opponents on the backbenches, adding:

“Whatever you think of him, this is a difficult problem and he does intend to keep his promise to fix it.”

Watch the clip in full below:

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Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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