So our MP Mark Prisk thinks feminie hygine is a luxury.

[Pat-H]

Noticed that MP Mark Prisk wasn't one of the few Tory MPs to vote in favour of removing VAT on Women's Sanitary products.
Can't say I'm that surprised but seeing as he has such a large vote share and statistically around half would be women it would seem an arrogant stance to take. I can't imagine he, and the other Tories, believe it strengthens their male votes.
Or is it just that the age range of their core female voters are no longer affected and care little for those younger than them?

I'll be dropping a communication to Mr Prisk for an explanation from him of why he feels such products are a luxury.
He and others are happy that chocolate chip cookies, Pistachio nuts and more are exempt. I guess they are things people really can't live without.

And of course this is tax that only affects women and not men. So maybe that's why he's happy to continue to support the tax.

It would serve him and other a lesson in life if all the women refused to wear them and went about their daily lives.
We'd soon understand just how important they are.

Oh and I hope this is deemed relevant to Ware on account of it having women living here?

[VicarageRoader]

Tory MP in being out of touch with ordinary people shock

[The Masked Woler]

My daughter would disagree, she regards chocolate as a necessity.

At least women only pay 5% whereas men pay the full 20% on shaving items (which I would say are also not a luxury)

(Amid all the Tory bashing it is also true that the last labour Govt. didn't remove it either and it also took them several years before they reduced it from 17.5% to 5%)

[malcmac]

Tory MP in being out of touch with ordinary people shock

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Pat-H]

My daughter would disagree, she regards chocolate as a necessity.

At least women only pay 5% whereas men pay the full 20% on shaving items (which I would say are also not a luxury)

(Amid all the Tory bashing it is also true that the last labour Govt. didn't remove it either and it also took them several years before they reduced it from 17.5% to 5%)

I wouldn't and don't have an issue with men not shaving and would happily sit next to an unshaved man on the bus (have just discovered that mens shaving razors are exempt from VAT). I can't say the same the other way round.
Shaving is no different to having hair cuts (in fact its exactly the same) and we treat that as a luxury.

And yes successive governments have failed to address this in balance but this was the first time it went to a vote to correct the situation and our MP made his view clear on the matter.

[Whereaami]

Doesnt make a difference what anyone thinks. The decison was made by those who know best in Brussells.

[Pat-H]

Doesnt make a difference what anyone thinks. The decison was made by those who know best in Brussells.

Actually that's not true. It was the UK Government in 1975 that decided what should and shouldn't be rated at what VAT rate.

http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... still.html

It wasn't for the UK government to remove the VAT on these products as that is now part of that initial 1975 agreement.
The proposal put before parliament was for the UK to agree it wasn't right and the Chancellor to bring the matter up with the EU for consideration.

The government, and our MP Mark Prisk, decided to not even agree the situation was wrong and not commit to take it to the EU for consideration.

[Whereaami]

Fact still remains, The EU will change nothing. The French Still apply VAT at 20% on them.

France

Shortly before the UK House of Commons vote, French MPs voted against an amendment which would have cut the tax on sanitary products from 20% to 5.5%. The suggestion to reduce the tax was opposed by the government, which said it would reduce tax receipts in 2016 by €55m (£40m, $63m).

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tampon-tax-how ... es-1526487

[Pat-H]

Fact still remains that for sure nothing will ever change if everyone just says "nothing will ever change"

The first step and a big one was deciding it isn't a fair tax, that it's discriminatory towards women.

We didn't even make that step. The majority of MPs, ours included, didn't agree that it wasn't right and should be raised as an issue.

There is no logical argument for the retention of this tax levy and it will be removed at some point in the future.
Saying it won't and can't is a bit like those that said women wouldn't get the vote.

[The Masked Woler]

(have just discovered that mens shaving razors are exempt from VAT). I can't say the same the other way round.
Shaving is no different to having hair cuts (in fact its exactly the same) and we treat that as a luxury.

There seems to be argument over that - most sites I have seen are clear that VAT is payable.

It isn't the same at all, it would be if you were talking about having someone shave you which is a luxury.