George Osborne attacks 'badly thought through' Tory social care policy

Former Chancellor says the party must also clarify their pledges on immigration

George Osborne is not seeking re-election as an MP on 8 June (AFP/Getty)

George Osborne has accused Theresa May of publishing a manifesto that is “badly thought through” and lacking in detail.

The former Chancellor, who is now editor of the London Evening Standard, criticised the Conservatives’ controversial social care plans, saying they had not been properly considered.

"They were clearly badly thought through because the Prime Minister herself decided to rethink them,” he told BBC Radio Four.

Ms May was forced to backtrack after a public outcry over her plans to force elderly people to pay for their own care up to the point that they have £100,000 in assets left.

She insisted the policy “had not changed” but said her government would consult on introducing a cap on the amount an elderly person can be forced to pay for their care – a measure ministers had previously ruled out.

Mr Osborne, who was sacked by Ms May when she became Prime Minister last year, said the Tories must also provide more details on their pledge to reduce net migration to below 100,000 a year.

“Which section of industry is not going to have the labour that it currently needs," he asked. "Which families aren’t going to be able to be reunited with other members of their family abroad? Which universities aren’t going to have overseas students?

“Now, if the Conservative Government can answer those questions, all well and good. If they can’t, the Evening Standard is going to go on asking the question. We will also be as ferocious in asking questions of the Labour Party.”

The former Chancellor defended his criticism of Ms May, saying it was his duty as an editor to speak on behalf of Evening Standard readers – even if it puts him on a collision course his former colleagues.

“I have to call it as I see it as an editor” he said. “Of course everyone knows I was a Conservative MP for 16 years, I was a member of the Conservative cabinet and I know many of the people in the Conservative Government,” he said.

“But it’s also my responsibility now as the editor of the paper to interpret what’s going on in politics and the rest of life for my readers. So I’m not pulling punches because I think I would be doing readers a disservice.”