Jardine Uses PMQ to Grill Starmer on National Insurance Rise

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine used her slot at Prime Minister’s Questions this week to hold Keir Starmer’s feet to the fire on recent changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions and their impact on the health and care sectors.

Ms. Jardine has been speaking with local GPs, who stress that these changes could threaten the ability of many practices to provide high-standard patient care.

GP surgeries are already under massive strain, managing roughly 90% of all patient contacts with only about 10% of the NHS budget.

NHS hospitals have been exempted from employers’ National Insurance changes, but Ministers have thus far refused to extend an exemption to GPs.

Ms. Jardine has continuously urged the Government to change course on this and provide this exemption to GPs and independent care providers.

Christine Jardine said:

“I was very disappointed at Keir Starmer’s response to my question today.

“I told the Prime Minister that patient services in my constituency could be impacted unless the Government exempts hardworking GPs from recent changes to employers’ National Insurance.

“GP surgeries are already at a breaking point, and yet the Prime Minister refused to commit to an exemption.

“My constituents will not be feeling reassured that this Government is up to the task of solving the crisis in primary care.”