The Tories will make life worse for us all, whatever our age

What had started off as a joke on social media, has developed into a ‘life imitates art’ scenario. Truly, the Tories want to take us back to the 1870s.

With their plans to ‘reform’ social care, they are threatening millions of elderly people with poverty and destitution. They outline plans to scrap funding for social care, for those who have assets worth £100,000 or more. Now, as the average house price (across the UK) is £232,530, we can conclude that most people will be left in a very tenuous position.

No matter the rhetoric in May’s manifesto launch speech, the reality is that many will be left unable to cope with care costs. This is pure social Darwinism. Social care can – and should – be funded fully. The implications from this policy could mean people would be forced to sell their homes to pay for the uncapped costs on care. As one LBC listener put it: “I would rather burn my house down than see it taken by May”.

Winter Fuel allowance is to be means tested, which again, could leave many pensioners in the cold, literally.

“Margaret Thatcher, the Milk Snatcher” was the cry of old. Perhaps now it’s “May, May, she’ll take your child’s dinners away”. The Conservative manifesto insists: “We believe free school lunches is an unfair use of Taxpayer’s money”. Is it right for young children to go hungry for the sake of saving a measly £650m?

These few policies all add up to promoting a more unfair, less equal, and less bearable Britain. Living standards are falling enough. This is, somehow, to make things worse.