Conservative Members of Parliament across Essex have reacted to the Prime Minister’s announcement that the government will increase National Insurance contributions - reneging on a key manifesto pledge.

The tax rise is intended to relieve ease the strain on the social care system following the Covid-19 pandemic.

But some politicians, including Johnson’s own Conservative Party MPs, have criticised the policy because the 1.25 per cent increase in National Insurance will be paid by workers and employers, rather than pensioners.

The Conservatives also committed not to raise National Insurance in their 2019 General Election manifesto, but an increase in requests for social care from both working age adults and older people has forced the government into a rethink.

When contacted by the Gazette for comment, Clacton Conservative MP Giles Watling voiced his support for the National Insurance Increase.

He said: “Social care is important but it is a nettle which has not been grasped for some time.

“So, the money has to come from somewhere and that is through taxation, and National Insurance is of course a form of taxation.

“We must, however, ensure it does not hit the less well-off workers but, as a principle, I do support the decision to increase National Insurance contributions.”

The Conservative MP for Colchester, Will Quince, could only comment that he was bound by collective responsibility as a government minister.

When contacted for comment by the Gazette, there were no responses from Conservative MPs Sir Bernard Jenkin, John Whittingdale, Priti Patel or James Cleverly.

In the House of Commons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that governments had “ducked [the social care] problem for decades” and that there can be “no more dither and delay.”

Johnson also insisted the new health and social care levy, based on a 1.25 per cent increase in National Insurance contributions, was “the reasonable and the fair approach”.

Downing Street said that a typical basic rate taxpayer earning £24,100 would pay £180 a year, while a higher rate taxpayer on £67,100 would pay £715 as a result of the new tax.

He added that “nobody earning less than £9,568 will pay a penny.”

Responding to Johnson, leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer said that the Prime Minister was “placing a sticking plaster over gaping wounds that his government inflicted.”

He added: “The pretence that the PM is only here because of the pandemic is not going to wash.

“How did we get here? The pandemic placed the NHS under huge strain – but that is only part of the story.

“There was an £8bn cut on social care, despite demand before the pandemic - the Tories can never again be the party of low tax.”