Lib Dem leader floats care at home pledge

Ed Davey said the party would raise care workers' pay

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey pledged free personal care to older or disabled people at home during a visit to Devon.

Following a boat trip in Torbay, Mr Davey said this pledge, plus raising care workers' pay, would help improve the hospital crisis and enable people to stay in their homes.

Plans would be funded by reversing tax cuts given to big banks by the Conservatives, he said, covering the estimated £2.7bn cost by 2028-29.

Meanwhile, the Labour, Conservative, Green Party and Reform UK parties have shared their plans for the NHS and social care.

Mr Davey said the policy would be funded in part by an end to tax breaks for big banks

Jayne Kirkham, Labour Party's candidate for Truro and Falmouth said the social care situation was "urgent", adding Labour would look at introducing a "collective fair pay agreement" with carers.

Kevin Foster, Conservative candidate for Torbay, said his party had pledged £8.6bn for social care and said they would deliver a "more integrated service", including social services provided by local councils.

The Green Party said on its website health and social care spending under its watch would rise to more than £50bn per year by 2030.

It said it would increase NHS frontline workers’ salaries including doctors, dentists and nurses.

Reform UK said it would aim to cut NHS waiting lists to zero in the space of two years, an objective it has described as “challenging but achievable”.

Mr Davey spent time at sea off Torquay as a guest of the Disabled Sailing Association.

Mr Davey said: "We are very confident that the Liberal Democrats putting health and care at the heart of our election campaign is an affordable set of ideas."

He added: "We want there to be free personal care so people in a care home or their own home get that personal care free.

"We need more money in the system."

Mr Davey said the by-election shift in Torbay was an "earthquake"

Mr Davey said carers' pay would also be increased.

He said councils' financial struggles had had a "knock-on effect" on the care service, while their policy would "free up beds" and avoid the "horror" of people being treated in hospital corridors.

He said money would come from reversing tax cuts for big banks and "closing loopholes" on capital gains tax for the "very wealthy".

He said better GP access, pharmacy care and NHS dentists were also in their sights.

Full list of candidates for the Torbay constituency:

Chris Wongsosaputro - Labour

Charlie West - Green

Steve Darling - Liberal Democrats

Gordon Scott - Reform UK

Kevin Foster - Conservatives

Paul Moor - Workers Party