Rochdale’s Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Simon Danczuk, has called upon Rochdale Liberal Democrats to explain to the town’s older people why they are opposing free home care for the elderly.

In a letter to The Times, Rochdale’s Lib Dem deputy leader, Dale Mulgrew, has written showing that he opposes the Government’s proposals to provide free home care for elderly residents.

Simon Danczuk said: “I am astonished that Dale Mulgrew is opposing free home care for elderly people in Rochdale. The Government have costed these proposals and are providing £420 million from the Department of Health to implement this support. The Bill to make this law is currently going through Parliament and I would have hoped the Liberal Democrats would have supported it. Rochdale’s current MP, Paul Rowen, now needs to tell his constituents whether he supports the Labour Government’s proposals for free home care for the elderly, or whether, like his Lib Dem friend, Councillor Dale Mulgrew, opposes these improvements.”

Simon continued: “Councillor Mulgrew is responsible for privatising home care for elderly people in Rochdale. He is responsible for introducing excessive charges for adult care, and he has just cut care homes for older people across the Borough. When the Labour Government offers him the chance to support older people he also opposes that. I really struggle to understand what Dale Mulgrew has against our older people.”

Phil Hope, the Care Services Minister, said it was “extremely disappointing” that councillors supported the principles of the Bill, but would “quibble and complain and find reasons not to make it happen. Care recipients in these council areas will be shocked that local authorities are apparently unable to find efficiencies to deliver this priority when significant funding is being provided by the Government.”

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