U-turn on home care as Labour exposed on uncosted pledge for disabled

12.00.00am GMT Wed 15th Feb 2006

Local AM Mike German has condemned Labour's betrayal of disabled people, carers and their families over their U-turn on free personal care.

At the 2003 election Labour AMs stood on a pledge to remove charges for home care for the disabled. But today, Welsh Health Minister Brian Gibbons admitted the uncosted pledge would not be delivered as promised.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Leader Mike German said: "Labour stood in 2003 promising free home care for the disabled. But now they are tearing up their manifesto, pledge by pledge. Their failure to establish whether their promises could be delivered has resulted in this betrayal of disabled people, their carers and their families throughout Gwent.

"The package of measures the minister has announced will undoubtedly help many people but it falls a long way short of what we were expecting. Today's announcement is a major blow to a group of people who were expecting to hear good news. What a contrast with the Liberal Democrats who campaigned at the 2005 general election promising to provide free personal care, costed the proposal to make sure it could be afforded, and have delivered it in Scotland where we are in government.

"Just as with free school breakfasts - another of Labour's promises has proven to be uncosted and undeliverable.

"Even within the health budget, we have seen a failure to prioritise. Surely their specific promise to give free personal care to disabled people should have been a greater priority for this Labour government than free prescriptions to all - even the wealthy and relatively healthy. The Minister should be ashamed of his announcement today.

Disbaled people are losing out

"Labour's cynical betrayal of the trust of many people who voted in South East Wales for them will not be forgotten soon. Who will be able to trust Labour when it comes to their 2007 Manifesto pledges?"