LAUSR

The Liberal Democrats’ general election manifesto has promised to increase income tax by a penny a pound to raise an extra £6bn (€7bn; $7.8bn) a year to be ringfenced for NHS and adult social care. The money would fund “priority areas,” says the manifesto (www.libdems.org.uk/manifesto), such as improving mental healthcare, expanding access to community services, supporting struggling GPs, and extending general practice opening hours. Around a third of the £6bn would go to social care, with about £3.5bn for health spending in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland next year, said analysts. The Health Foundation said that rising demand and cost pressures meant that there would still be a £9bn funding gap for the NHS in England by 2020-21 under the Liberal Democrats’ plan. The party would set up a cross party convention, involving the devolved UK administrations, to work out a sustainable long term funding settlement if it came into power. The manifesto said, “Our longer-term objective will …