Tories step up attack on 'unfair' Labour care plan

THE Tories stepped up their attack on Labour's plans for a national care service today, claiming it would unfairly penalise hundreds of thousands of families who chose to look after elderly relatives themselves.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said it would create a "strong incentive" for families to push the burden of care on to the state if Labour chose to finance it through a compulsory insurance scheme – dubbed the "death tax" by the Tories.