Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has offered to work with Prime Minister Andy Burnham on reforming England's social care system, saying she hopes the two parties can "find common ground" on one of the country's most challenging long-term policy issues.
In a message published on social media alongside a letter to the Prime Minister, Mrs Badenoch said:
"I want to work with Andy Burnham to fix social care. But a new system has to be fair to those who have saved, and it can't be funded by more taxes or more borrowing.
I hope we can find common ground by working together."
Writing directly to Mr Burnham, the Conservative leader described social care as "a hugely important issue for so many people", while acknowledging that previous governments had struggled to build a lasting consensus on reform.
She wrote:
"The Conservatives are happy to work with you and other parties on reforming social care."
However, Mrs Badenoch said Conservative support would depend on two key principles.
The first, she said, is that any new system should be fair to people who have saved and made financial provision throughout their lives.
The second is that reform should be funded through reductions in existing government spending, rather than through higher taxes or increased borrowing.
Mrs Badenoch urged the Prime Minister to rule out any future tax rises or additional borrowing to pay for social care reforms, arguing that doing so would place an unfair burden on future generations.
In her letter, she also criticised the Government's current fiscal plans, claiming public spending, taxation and borrowing were all significantly higher than those planned under the previous Conservative administration.
She argued:
"The last thing Britain needs is further tax increases to pay for social care."
Despite those differences, Mrs Badenoch concluded her letter by reiterating her willingness to work with the Government.
"I hope we can find common ground on this and I look forward to working with you on this vital issue."
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to announce further details of the Government's approach to social care reform in the coming days. At the time of publication, the Government had not publicly responded to Mrs Badenoch's letter.
For decades, governments of all political parties have attempted to reform the funding of adult social care. Rising life expectancy, increasing demand for care services and the growing cost of provision have made the issue one of the most complex areas of public policy, with successive administrations seeking a long-term solution.
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