UK leader gambles on tax hike to pay for elder care

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a tax increase to pay for the rocketing cost of the long-term care needed by Britain’s growing older population

LONDON -- U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Tuesday he plans to keep an election promise to grapple with the rocketing cost of the long-term care needed by Britain’s growing older population. To do it, he broke another election vow: not to raise taxes. Johnson told lawmakers in the House of Commons that his Conservative government had made the “difficult but responsible” decision to hike taxes in order to raise 36 billion pounds ($50 billion) over three years for social care and the overstretched National Health Service. The strains of the coronavirus pandemic have left the NHS facing a backlog of millions of delayed appointments and procedures. Johnson said there would be no more “dither and delay” about reforming social care.