Shadow Cabinet voted 111 times to hike National Insurance in last Parliament

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

Shadow Cabinet voted 111 times to hike National Insurance in last Parliament

Kemi Badenoch’s Shadow Cabinet are labelling themselves a squeaky-clean new Opposition – but the Liberal Democrats are pointing to their murky record on crucial issues like National Insurance rises, water quality, and the severe shortage of GPs and dentists.

Liberal Democrat research has unearthed the murky voting records of Kemi Badenoch’s new Shadow Cabinet appointees.

In the last Parliament, the Shadow Cabinet collectively cast 111 votes to raise National Insurance Contributions (NICs). The Liberal Democrats have consistently opposed the NICs hikes - calling on the Government to make big banks, online gambling firms and social media giants pay their fair share of tax.

The Shadow Cabinet voted 62 times against stopping sewage dumping. On three separate occasions in the last Parliament, these Conservative MPs gave the nod to private water companies to dump sewage in UK waters.

Perhaps most shockingly, the Shadow Cabinet cast 21 votes against tackling the shortage of GPs and dentists – including the new Shadow Health Secretary. Edward Argar, who has taken up that post, ignored Liberal Democrat calls to address the chronic shortage of GPs and dentists just two years ago. 

Sarah Olney MP, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson, said: 

“The Conservatives’ most recent makeover is convincing no one. 

“Kemi Badenoch’s Cabinet is stuffed full of the same old Conservatives: anti-environment, anti-NHS, and anti-small business.

"Only the Liberal Democrats can credibly hold the government to account on rescuing our NHS, ending the sewage scandal and getting high streets back on their feet after years of economic vandalism – and that’s exactly what we will do."

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Find voting record numbers here.