Boris Johnson ‘fully committed’ to national insurance rise

A government source told the Times that Johnson was ‘wobbling’ over the 1.25% rise in NICs. Photograph: Carl Recine/AP

Downing Street has insisted Boris Johnson is “fully committed” to introducing a national insurance rise in the spring, despite reports he is “wobbling” on the issue.

The manifesto-breaking rise of 1.25 percentage points in national insurance contributions (NICs) was presented by Johnson as a way of tackling the NHS backlog and reforming social care.