John McDonnell, has today written to Philip Hammond offering cross party support to solve the social care crisis in our country, which this Christmas sees a million elderly people not get the care they need.

Under the Government’s spending plans outlined in the Autumn Statement there is £27 billion of potential additional spending available. This would be more than enough to cover the £1.9 billion funding gap in the social care system next year.

Labour is offering support to the Government if it releases this funding.

In his letter to Philip Hammond, John McDonnell has offered his support “in finding an immediate funding solution for the social care crisis this winter” and has pointed out that they could provide the support he will “still be able to meet his “own target for deficit reduction, set at 2 percent of GDP in 2020-21.”

This letter follows on from the one that Jeremy Corbyn sent at the weekend calling for an urgent meeting to discuss emergency support for social care.