BORIS Johnson's new £12 billion a year tax raid to address the funding crisis in health and social care has been labelled "deeply unfair" by one South Cumbrian MP.

The Prime Minister insisted the new health and social care levy, based on a 1.25 percentage point 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.

Ryan Lisp said: "The people who voted for this must be squirming Tories the party of low taxation more like party of incompetence."

Yovin Launder said: "Just where do you think the money is going to come from. The pandemic has cost the government a fortune. Should take 1.25% of dole payments. If the claimants don't like it there are plenty of jobs available. The benefits bill every month must be horrifying."

Mary Butterworth said: "This National Insurance hike is taking money from the pockets of the working poor, to ensure rich landowners don't have to fork out for care. It's a disgrace, it's a con, and you've just fallen for it."

Colin Towns said: "Only Conservative voters have a right to be angry at this. Labour adores raising taxes as they have stated their intentions to do so before and after the last election. In many ways they should be happy. The Conservatives are now for raising taxes and during lockdown they were for government intervention on every level of society. The Tory party has become the new Labour party."

Ben Insider said: "Johnson is at it again."

Yian Rover said: "Foreign aid should be stopped completely, problem solved."

Val Hill said: "There's complaints these tax rises weren't mentioned in the manifesto. Nor were increases in Universal Credit, employees being paid by the government to sit at home on furlough or the extension of free school meals during the school holidays."