Jeremy Corbyn has challenged Theresa May to reveal the impact of her controversial social care policy in the final days of the election campaign.
The Labour leader said it was "staggering" that pensioners had not been told at what level social care costs would be capped or how many elderly people would lose the winter fuel payment, worth up to £300.
Labour claims the Conservative plan to means-test winter fuel payments could affect up to 10.8 million pensioners, while people who need social care could face spending up to 42% of the value of their estates if the cap was set at £100,000.
Mr Corbyn said: "It is staggering that just six days from polling day millions of pensioners still don't know what's in store for them if they are unlucky enough to get dementia or any other condition that needs care in the home.
"The dementia tax is itself unfair but what's made matters even worse is the way Theresa May announced a cap and then failed to say how much it would be.
"Alongside this, older people face the additional uncertainty of not knowing who will be eligible for a winter fuel payment. The introduction of a means test could mean more than 10 million people losing the payment.
"Theresa May's only offer to pensioners is insecurity and cuts."
Under the Tory social care policy, the value of the family property will for the first time be taken into account when working out how much an individual must pay towards care in their own home, like with residential care.
The party would introduce a new guarantee that nobody's assets will be depleted below £100,000 because of care costs, more generous than the current floor of £23,250.
But after the changes attracted criticism and were dubbed a "dementia tax" by critics, Mrs May performed a u-turn and committed to a cap on the total costs people would face.
The level of the cap will be decided after the election.
Those receiving care at home will be able to defer payments until after they die, as residential care-users already can, so that they do not have to sell their home during their lifetime.
Saturday, June 3, 2017
May refuses to rule out income tax rise, despite ministers' pledge
Theresa May has refused to rule out an income tax rise, despite senior ministers pledging there will be "absolutely" no increase for higher earners.
The Prime Minister declined to guarantee income tax would not rise despite promises to voters from her Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary.
When asked to clarify the commitment from Boris Johnson and Sir Michael Fallon during her visit to Dewsbury on Saturday morning, Mrs May said only that the Conservatives were the "low tax party".
She said: "Our position on tax has not changed. We have set it out in the manifesto.
"What people will know when they go to vote on Thursday is that it is the Conservative Party that always has been and always will be the low tax party and it is our firm intention to reduce taxes for ordinary working families."
:: TV leadership showdown: Voters 1-0 leaders
She went on to outline the Conservative plans to increase the amount people can earn without paying tax to £12,500 and raising the 40p tax threshold.
It comes after Mrs May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn faced fierce questioning from voters in the final television showdown before voters go to the polls.
Image:Boris Johnson and Sir Michael Fallon have both made pledges on income tax
Sir Michael Fallon had ruled out income tax increases for higher earners in an interview with a newspaper, published on Saturday morning.
He said the Tories were not in the "business of punishing people for getting on" as he made a bid to get wealthier voters to the polling stations on Thursday.
His comments were the first to explicitly rule out an income tax increase for higher earners.
In their manifesto, the Conservatives scrapped their triple lock pledge not to raise income tax, VAT and national insurance contributions.
They committed to keep income tax "as low as possible" but did not rule out a hike.
However, asked if higher earners could be confident a Conservative government would not increase income tax, Sir Michael told The Daily Telegraph: "Yes. You've seen our record. We're not in the business of punishing people for getting on, on the contrary we want people to keep more of their earnings.
"The only way they can be sure their taxes won't rise is to vote Conservative. We already know your tax will go up if you vote Labour on Thursday."
On Friday night, Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, also ruled out increases to income tax, telling BBC's Newsnight that the party had "absolutely no plans" to do so.
The Conservative manifesto has ruled out an increase in VAT, suggesting that the Chancellor Philip Hammond might well increase National Insurance contributions, as he had planned to in the Budget, but reversed after protests.
Mrs May also refused to be drawn on whether the government would increase the National Insurance contributions for self-employed people.
Labour's plans would see the 45p rate of income tax kick in for people earning £80,000 instead of the current £150,000 and a new 50p rate for people earning more than £123,000.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the Defence Secretary's comments showed the Tories were the party for "the few, not the many".
He said: "The only guarantee the Tories are prepared to give at this election is to big business and high earners while low and middle income earners have seen no guarantee from Theresa May that their taxes won't be raised.
"And pensioners are left to worry about whether they will be able to heat their homes or even keep their homes, with no clarity on cuts to winter fuel payments or the dementia tax."
The Prime Minister declined to guarantee income tax would not rise despite promises to voters from her Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary.
When asked to clarify the commitment from Boris Johnson and Sir Michael Fallon during her visit to Dewsbury on Saturday morning, Mrs May said only that the Conservatives were the "low tax party".
She said: "Our position on tax has not changed. We have set it out in the manifesto.
"What people will know when they go to vote on Thursday is that it is the Conservative Party that always has been and always will be the low tax party and it is our firm intention to reduce taxes for ordinary working families."
:: TV leadership showdown: Voters 1-0 leaders
She went on to outline the Conservative plans to increase the amount people can earn without paying tax to £12,500 and raising the 40p tax threshold.
It comes after Mrs May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn faced fierce questioning from voters in the final television showdown before voters go to the polls.
Image:Boris Johnson and Sir Michael Fallon have both made pledges on income taxSir Michael Fallon had ruled out income tax increases for higher earners in an interview with a newspaper, published on Saturday morning.
He said the Tories were not in the "business of punishing people for getting on" as he made a bid to get wealthier voters to the polling stations on Thursday.
His comments were the first to explicitly rule out an income tax increase for higher earners.
In their manifesto, the Conservatives scrapped their triple lock pledge not to raise income tax, VAT and national insurance contributions.
They committed to keep income tax "as low as possible" but did not rule out a hike.
However, asked if higher earners could be confident a Conservative government would not increase income tax, Sir Michael told The Daily Telegraph: "Yes. You've seen our record. We're not in the business of punishing people for getting on, on the contrary we want people to keep more of their earnings.
"The only way they can be sure their taxes won't rise is to vote Conservative. We already know your tax will go up if you vote Labour on Thursday."
On Friday night, Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, also ruled out increases to income tax, telling BBC's Newsnight that the party had "absolutely no plans" to do so.
The Conservative manifesto has ruled out an increase in VAT, suggesting that the Chancellor Philip Hammond might well increase National Insurance contributions, as he had planned to in the Budget, but reversed after protests.
Mrs May also refused to be drawn on whether the government would increase the National Insurance contributions for self-employed people.
Labour's plans would see the 45p rate of income tax kick in for people earning £80,000 instead of the current £150,000 and a new 50p rate for people earning more than £123,000.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the Defence Secretary's comments showed the Tories were the party for "the few, not the many".
He said: "The only guarantee the Tories are prepared to give at this election is to big business and high earners while low and middle income earners have seen no guarantee from Theresa May that their taxes won't be raised.
"And pensioners are left to worry about whether they will be able to heat their homes or even keep their homes, with no clarity on cuts to winter fuel payments or the dementia tax."
Friday, June 2, 2017
May and Corbyn grilled on social care and defence by voters
Blistering questions from a studio audience put Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn under pressure on their weak spots of social care and defence.
In the final TV event of the campaign featuring the leaders of the two major parties, the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition faced a 45-minute barrage from members of the public.
Mrs May was taken to task by four members of the audience about her social care policies; and by an emotional voter who had waited 18 months to access treatment for mental health problems.
Mr Corbyn, a long-standing advocate of nuclear disarmament, struggled and was accused of "dodging the question" by veteran host David Dimbleby as he refused to say what he would do if Britain was threatened with a nuclear strike.
He claimed a Government he led would ease tensions with countries such as North Korea through negotiations "before it reached that stage", and would not say if the UK would hit back if struck by another country.
Image:Jeremy Corbyn was accused of 'dodging the question'
:: Tory declares innocence over election charge
The Prime Minister had the most difficult moments of the debate when questioned about public services.
A nurse, who said she had seen a real terms cut in her pay over the past seven years, asked the Prime Minister why she was not investing in the NHS amid heckling from other guests.
Mrs May offered her little reassurance, saying: "We have had to take some hard choices across the public sector, and I'm being honest with you that we will put more money into the NHS but there isn't a magic money tree we can just shake."
She added: "We are putting record levels of funding into the NHS and will continue to put money into the NHS."
In awkward scenes, Mrs May listened as a partially sighted voter who had waited 18 months for counselling became emotional as she recounted a bad experience with the Work Capability Assessment.
In the final TV event of the campaign featuring the leaders of the two major parties, the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition faced a 45-minute barrage from members of the public.
Mrs May was taken to task by four members of the audience about her social care policies; and by an emotional voter who had waited 18 months to access treatment for mental health problems.
Mr Corbyn, a long-standing advocate of nuclear disarmament, struggled and was accused of "dodging the question" by veteran host David Dimbleby as he refused to say what he would do if Britain was threatened with a nuclear strike.
He claimed a Government he led would ease tensions with countries such as North Korea through negotiations "before it reached that stage", and would not say if the UK would hit back if struck by another country.
Image:Jeremy Corbyn was accused of 'dodging the question':: Tory declares innocence over election charge
The Prime Minister had the most difficult moments of the debate when questioned about public services.
A nurse, who said she had seen a real terms cut in her pay over the past seven years, asked the Prime Minister why she was not investing in the NHS amid heckling from other guests.
Mrs May offered her little reassurance, saying: "We have had to take some hard choices across the public sector, and I'm being honest with you that we will put more money into the NHS but there isn't a magic money tree we can just shake."
She added: "We are putting record levels of funding into the NHS and will continue to put money into the NHS."
In awkward scenes, Mrs May listened as a partially sighted voter who had waited 18 months for counselling became emotional as she recounted a bad experience with the Work Capability Assessment.
Ariana Grande's surprise visit to Manchester hospital delights injured fans
Ariana Grande has hugged fans and posed for photos as she made a surprise hospital visit to children recovering from the Manchester terror attack.
The singer returned to the city on Friday morning ahead of a star-studded benefit concert - One Love Manchester - on Sunday.
But she also took time to visit the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.
Image:Jaden Farrell-Mann says she was thrilled to 'meet her queen'. Pic: Peter Mann/TwitterAmong those over the moon to see her was 10-year-old Jaden Farrell-Mann, who suffered fractures to both legs and shrapnel wounds.
Her father, Peter Mann, posted photos of Grande talking to his daughter and the pair sharing a hug.
He tweeted: "This means more to us than all the amazing things people have done this week. when your daughter asks after her 2nd operation: 'Is Ariana ok?'
"So happy she came I could burst! Never seen Jaden so happy! Even cried again myself."
I got to meet my queen today❤❤love you @ArianaGrande💖💖xxxxxx pic.twitter.com/xTymQaRoN2— jaden farrell mann (@dustyblu10) June 2, 2017
Jaden, 10, also wrote on Twitter of her joy, saying: "I got to meet my queen today".
Evie Mills, 14, also met the singer. The teenager was also there when the Queen visited the hospital a few days after the Manchester Arena suicide attack.
:: Prince William visits Manchester bombing heroes
Tonight's visit from @ArianaGrande was amazing. Just the lift all the kids (and parents) needed! What an absolute angel ❤️ pic.twitter.com/TD9tHvTDeu— Lauren Thorpe (@LaurenEveThorpe) June 2, 2017
Lily Harrison, who was also injured in the bombing, "looked on Cloud Nine" after her time with Grande, according to her father Adam Harrison.
Mr Harrison told People: "What Ariana Grande did tonight was so selfless and amazing."
Grande also posted a black and white image of the hospital visit on Instagram, which picked up more than a million likes in an hour.
Image:Evie Mills also had a visit from the pop megastarPop stars including Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Take That and Miley Cyrus will join Grande for Sunday's concert.
The £40 standard tickets sold out in less than 20 minutes, while those who were at the concert on the night of the bombing have been offered free tickets.
Proceeds will go to the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund to support families and victims of the terror attack.
In a statement on Twitter last week, Grande said of the attack: "We won't let this divide us. We won't let hate win."
Twenty-two people were killed and dozens injured on 22 May when Salman Abedi detonated his device as fans streamed out of the arena at the end of Grande's gig.
:: Manchester bombing: 'Significant' car seized
Germany's Rock am Ring music festival halted over terror threat
Crowds at one of Germany's biggest music festivals have been evacuated because of "concrete leads" of a possible terror threat.
The Rock am Ring festival at the Nurburgring race track near the western town of Nurburg was suspended on the first night of the three-day event.
Security had been stepped up at the festival in the wake of the Manchester bomb attack.
Checks included body searches and a ban on rucksacks and bags, while around 1,200 police officers were on duty.
Image:Festival-goers left the site calmly singing You'll Never Walk Alone
Koblenz police said the event had been suspended due to "concrete leads, which do not allow us to eliminate a possible terror threat".
It added: "We are currently conducting a very intense investigation."
Journalists were told of concerns about a person, who had been involved in the festival preparations, including erecting the security fences.
The festival was expected to welcome up to 90,000 visitors, with German hard rock giants Rammstein set to perform on Friday night, before the security alert led to the evacuation.
British singer-songwriter Rag'n'Bone Man had been on stage earlier in the day.
Image:Police say they are conducting 'a very intense investigation'
The organisers used loudspeakers to inform concert-goers about the possible threat.
"We hope it will continue tomorrow. Please head to the exits," they said.
Leaving the site calmly, people sang You'll Never Walk Alone.
Festival organiser Marek Lieberberg said the grounds were clear by 9.30pm, about a half hour after people were told that they were going to have to leave.
"The public reacted fantastically," he added.
He hoped the annual festival would be able to restart on Saturday, but this has not yet been confirmed.
Some 85 bands were scheduled to play on four stages over the weekend, with Germany's Toten Hosen headlining Saturday's bill and California's System of a Down due to perform on Sunday.
Germany has been on alert after a series of violent attacks last year, including when a lorry ploughed into a Christmas market in Berlin killing 12 people.
The Rock am Ring festival at the Nurburgring race track near the western town of Nurburg was suspended on the first night of the three-day event.
Security had been stepped up at the festival in the wake of the Manchester bomb attack.
Checks included body searches and a ban on rucksacks and bags, while around 1,200 police officers were on duty.
Image:Festival-goers left the site calmly singing You'll Never Walk AloneKoblenz police said the event had been suspended due to "concrete leads, which do not allow us to eliminate a possible terror threat".
It added: "We are currently conducting a very intense investigation."
Journalists were told of concerns about a person, who had been involved in the festival preparations, including erecting the security fences.
The festival was expected to welcome up to 90,000 visitors, with German hard rock giants Rammstein set to perform on Friday night, before the security alert led to the evacuation.
British singer-songwriter Rag'n'Bone Man had been on stage earlier in the day.
Image:Police say they are conducting 'a very intense investigation'The organisers used loudspeakers to inform concert-goers about the possible threat.
"We hope it will continue tomorrow. Please head to the exits," they said.
Leaving the site calmly, people sang You'll Never Walk Alone.
Festival organiser Marek Lieberberg said the grounds were clear by 9.30pm, about a half hour after people were told that they were going to have to leave.
"The public reacted fantastically," he added.
He hoped the annual festival would be able to restart on Saturday, but this has not yet been confirmed.
Some 85 bands were scheduled to play on four stages over the weekend, with Germany's Toten Hosen headlining Saturday's bill and California's System of a Down due to perform on Sunday.
Germany has been on alert after a series of violent attacks last year, including when a lorry ploughed into a Christmas market in Berlin killing 12 people.
Briefsfromshittu: CIA's 'Dark Prince' tapped to lead charge against ...
Briefsfromshittu: CIA's 'Dark Prince' tapped to lead charge against ...: Michael D'Andrea ran covert programmes to hunt and kill 'terrorist' suspects with drones around the world [Larry Downing/Reuters...
CIA's 'Dark Prince' tapped to lead charge against Iran
Michael D'Andrea ran covert programmes to hunt and kill 'terrorist' suspects with drones around the world [Larry Downing/Reuters]The CIA has appointed a senior counterterrorism officer with a strong background in the Middle East to lead the US administration's handling of Iran, signaling a new hardline approach to Tehran, sources tell Al Jazeera.
Known as the "Dark Prince", "Ayatollah Mike", and the "Undertaker" within the halls of the CIA, Michael D'Andrea ran the CIA's Counterterrorism Center between 2006 and 2015. He also oversaw its covert programmes to hunt and kill "terrorist" suspects with drones around the world, particularly in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen.
One former Central Intelligence Agency official, who spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorised to talk to the press, said the appointment of D'Andrea is the first signal that the Trump administration is mapping out an aggressive strategy to deal with Iran.
OPINION: Nuclear deal promises a bright future for Iranians
Former CIA case officer Robert Baer, who said he knows D'Andrea by reputation, was more blunt. "All I can say is that war with Iran is in the cards [after D'Andrea's appointment]," Baer said.
Has Rouhani succeeded in reforming Iran? - UpFront
According to former CIA officials, the agency has never officially confirmed D'Andrea's identity, despite his naming in a New York Times story in 2015.
The former CIA officer, who has worked with D'Andrea, told Al Jazeera his appointment shows the Trump administration is going to be "very aggressive with Iran".
D'Andrea is a convert to Islam and is married to a Muslim woman whom he met during his work in the Middle East. He is reportedly in his late 50s or early 60s and has worked undercover in Iraq, Egypt, and other countries, officials said.
D'Andrea joined the CIA in 1979 and was deployed to Africa immediately after he left the CIA training facility in Virginia known as "the Farm".
He was the most senior CIA officer in Baghdad during the Iraq war in 2003. In 2006, he was called back to CIA headquarters to lead the Counterterrorism Center, succeeding its outgoing chief Robert Grenier.
He is known within the CIA as "abrasive" and a "workaholic", sources said. Jordanian intelligence officials described D'Andrea as "highly professional" but "ruthless".
A CIA spokesman declined to comment on this report.
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump and his Saudi hosts pledged to forge ahead with a strategic partnership against armed groups in the region. Trump also signaled a hardline policy towards Iran.
Saudi Arabia views Iran as the biggest threat to its national security and regional stability. During Trump's visit, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson described Tehran's influence in the Middle East as "malign", adding Iran posed "threats" on all sides of Saudi Arabia's borders.
The US and Saudi Arabia announced last may the signing of memorandum of understanding establishing a Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), which will be headquartered in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
The centre will target threats coming from organisations such as al-Qaeda, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and Hezbollah, which is linked to Iran and other armed groups.
READ MORE: Trump passes up chance to 'rip up' Iran nuclear deal
D'Andrea was in charge of the Counterterrorism Center in 2009 when a Jordanian double-agent doctor, Humam al-Balawi, blew himself up at a CIA base in Khost, Afghanistan - killing seven CIA officers and a Jordanian intelligence official who was his handler.
Balawi was recruited by Jordanian intelligence, the Mukhabarat, and was presented to the CIA as having direct connections to al-Qaeda's top leadership.
D'Andrea - who spent decades hunting down Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders - believed he finally was able to plant a high-level source inside al-Qaeda's inner circle, sources told Al Jazeera, but that proved deadly wrong.
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