10 MONTHS..

ELECTION 2017 PM DITCHES CARE PLAN

THERESA May’s claim of “strong and stable” leadership lay crumpled in the bin last night after she tore up a manifesto pledge to tax the better off for social care in their old age.

The rattled Prime Minister dumped a plan to make the elderly pay up in England, with care costs being taken out of the value of their homes after death – dubbed the “dementia tax” by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

It is thought to be the first time a political party have been forced to rewrite a published manifesto before an election has even taken place.

And it is May’s 10th big policy U-turn in just 10 months as Prime Minister.

Plans to make people receiving care at home liable for the full costs if they have assets worth at least £100,000 provoked a backlash from Tory voters since their manifesto was published last Thursday.

May yesterday dropped the policy, suggesting there would be a cap on costs, and at a stroke destroyed her own election offer of stability and financial competence.

She said the level of the cap would be set after the election if the Tories returned to power.

May looked furious as journalists described her as “weak and wobbly” and insisted there had been no U-turn.

She said: “Nothing has changed.”

Corbyn said: “You can’t trust a word Theresa May says. This is a government in chaos and confusion.”

SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson said: “This is an utter humiliation for Theresa May, and the U-turn betrays the reality of the Tory leadership – that of a weak and wobbling Prime Minister.”

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron added: “Theresa May has made so many U-turns the public are dizzy. This is Mayhem.”