National Insurance to rise next year after MPs' vote - BBC News
A UK-wide tax rise to help fund the NHS and social care is voted through by a majority of MPs.
Conservative MP Huw Merriman reiterates the need to "act now" to reform health and social care in England and welcomes the "decisive action" being taken by the government.

However he says he has concerns around the new tax - with the first being the political difficulty of getting the money initially being funnelled into the NHS into social care.

He tells the Commons: "We know how difficult it is to convince people that a temporary lift to Universal Credit was just temporary, how on earth are we going to challenge the equivalence of Marcus Rashford when it comes to the NHS in persuading people that this wasn't a cut but just a plan for a period of time and then we move the money to social care?"

He also cites the "inter-generational unfairness" of expecting young people without a home of their own to fund social care through a hike in National Insurance, rather than the older people with nest eggs or their own homes who would be using the service sooner.

Thirdly, he says the Tories will have to look to "rein in" public spending and allocate money for the NHS with "strict criteria" on how it is going to be spent.

Merriman indicates he will support the government in the vote but wants them to look at some of the alternative measures he's suggested.