THE over-60s vote will be “crucial” in the General Election, not just locally but across the country, according to one local politician.

Liberal Democrat David Ward, who is seeking re-election in the Bradford East constituency, visited the Parkside over-55s group in West Bowling to talk about the challenges of providing health and social care for an ageing population.

There, people told him about their experiences of the current system, good and bad.

Afterwards, Mr Ward said the votes of older people would be “crucial everywhere across the country” in the May 7 ballot.

And he warned of intense challenges for the health and social care systems in the coming years.

He said: “The good news is that we are living longer. The downside – and this is something political parties need to stop squabbling about and need to address – is it is going to be increasingly difficult to fund the level of social care people need.”

Mr Ward said he was mainly visiting the group to thank them for helping to shape the Care Act, which from next year will introduce a cap on lifetime care costs of £72,000.

Members’ stories had been incorporated into a report he submitted to the consultation process as the bill made its way through the House of Commons.

Mr Ward said: “I really came back to thank them for that, because it was very helpful to hear directly from people affected by it.”

Also standing in Bradford East are: Iftikhar Ahmed (Con); Imran Hussain (Lab); James Lewthwaite (British Democrats); Owais Rajput (Ukip), and Dave Stevens (Greens).