The papers are dominated by reaction to the prime minister announcing a tax hike to help fund social care.
Boris Johnson will attempt to convince Conservative MPs to back his plan to fix social care on Wednesday at a snap Commons vote called just one day after the manifesto-busting new policy was announced.
The PM took a political gamble on Tuesday as he scrapped an election promise by raising national insurance contributions to deal with the backlog in the NHS built up during Covid and to deliver long-overdue reform of the social care system in England.
Tory opposition to the plans when first leaked was fierce, but any backbench rebellion appeared to have subsided by Tuesday as MPs provided little challenge to the PM as he presented his proposals to the Commons.
Paper’s reaction
The i leads on Mr Johnson scrapping an election promise by raising national insurance contributions to deal with the NHS backlog and deliver long-overdue reform of England’s social care system.
Wednesday’s front page: New era of tax hikes to pay for NHS and social care#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/7fbCz2NkSU
— i newspaper (@theipaper) September 7, 2021
The Times and Daily Telegraph report the plan will result in the country’s tax burden increasing to its highest point since 1948.
Wednesday’s TIMES: “Tax burden will rise to highest in 70 years” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/IvpaE6aZd7
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) September 8, 2021
The front page of tomorrow’s Daily Telegraph:
‘Highest taxes since the War’#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/yHDse4WrOH
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 7, 2021
The Guardian says the PM has “staked his reputation” on the manifesto-breaking scheme, while the Financial Times reports he defied Tory “rebels” in unveiling the plan.
Guardian front page, Wednesday 8 September 2021: PM stakes reputation on £12bn health plan – but will it deliver? pic.twitter.com/tBZQSRfJ3H
— The Guardian (@guardian) September 7, 2021
Just published: Front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, for Wednesday 8 September pic.twitter.com/eCRVA0C5FP
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) September 7, 2021
The Sun calls the announcement Mr Johnson’s “biggest gamble”.
Wednesday’s SUN: “Bojo’s Biggest Gamble” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/BDgoCxJ7ut
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) September 7, 2021
Metro accuses Mr Johnson of playing “catch up”, while the Daily Mail calls on the PM to “make the care worth the cost”.
Wednesday’s front page:
TAX AND SPEND TORIES#TomorrowsPapersToday #BBCPapers #skypapers pic.twitter.com/zZ7KQMvmit
— Metro Newspaper UK (@MetroUKNews) September 7, 2021
Wednesday’s @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/mjH0VRkYnz
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) September 7, 2021
Social care leaders have warned the plan will not be enough to end the crisis, according to The Independent and Daily Mirror.
Tomorrow’s @independent front page #tomorrowspaperstoday To subscribe to the Daily Edition https://t.co/XF8VnDpHYF pic.twitter.com/x5fILuUObA
— The Independent (@Independent) September 8, 2021
Tomorrow’s front page: Careless #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/XDIrOz40Wl pic.twitter.com/TwfuSWlaKu
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) September 7, 2021
The Daily Express carries a vow from Health Secretary Sajid Javid “not to waste a single penny” of the extra funding.
Tomorrow’s front page: Health Secretary’s vow on £36bn NHS and social care rescue plan#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/4yDPmKKadx
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) September 7, 2021
And the Daily Star says the PM’s “pants are on fire” after breaking tax and pension promises.
Wednesday’s Daily STAR: “You don’t break a manifesto pledge for ages then TWO come along at the same time” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/6gJJufWm6a
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) September 7, 2021
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