Waveney MP rebels against party line to vote against social care reforms

Eight Conservative Norfolk and Waveney MPs voted in favour of a new social care system at the House of Commons on Monday night..

But a group of 19 Tory MPs rebelled against party lines to vote against the plans, including Waveney MP, Peter Aldous.

The only other MP to vote against the plans in the region was Labour MP for Norwich South, Clive Lewis.

Mr Aldous opted against changes to social care reforms following anger from a number of Conservative MPs over how it would impact poorer pensioners.

He said that his concern was people living in modest homes in Lowestoft: "I cannot support something that is going to be targeted to hit those living in homes worth between £100,000 and £180,000," he said.

He said that during the coalition years there were regular committees formed between the two parties that ironed out problems like this before they came to the House of Commons - but now it sometimes seemed that legislation was proposed without sufficient scrutiny until it became public and that forced MPs to consider rebelling.

However, prime minister Boris Johnson succeeded in getting MPs to back the new policy to cap care costs in England on Monday evening, as MPs backed the amendment 272 votes to 246 with a majority of 26.

Ministers were unable to confirm whether the change to the £86,000 cap on care costs would fulfil an election pledge to guarantee no one would have to sell their home to pay for care.

Waveney MP Peter Aldous (Image: Jamie Honeywood Archant Norwich Norfolk)

However, 19 Conservatives chose to oppose the plans, while 68 Tories either did not or could not vote.

During a speech at the annual CBI conference earlier in the day, Mr Johnson described the plans as 'incredibly generous' and 'much better than the existing system'.

In September, the government announced that a £86,000 cap on lifetime care costs will be put into place from October 2023.

However, a policy paper last week showed that only personal contributions will count towards that cap for people who receive financial support from a local authority for some of their care.

Experts said that means poorer individuals will reach the cap faster than those who are wealthier and will therefore see more of their assets eaten up by care costs.

FOR:

Richard Bacon (Conservative - South Norfolk)

Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

George Freeman (Conservative - Mid Norfolk)

Brandon Lewis (Conservative - Great Yarmouth)

Jerome Mayhew (Conservative - Broadland)

Chloe Smith (Conservative - Norwich North)

Elizabeth Truss (Conservative - South West Norfolk)

James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)

AGAINST:

Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)

Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)