Another attempt to end that 'luxury' taxation...

[ErrolTheDragon]

Here - the most amusing change.org petition I've seen yet too! (and it's got over 100,000 supporters already).

When VAT (an EU compulsary tax) was introduced, there was negotiation of what could be taxed and what not. For whatever reason sanitary products were included as taxable.
EU rules state that taxable products must have a rate of 15% unless it is on a list of products which a low rate is applicable. The low rate must be 5% or greater.
The govt does not have the power to remove VAT on sanitary products, this can only be done at EU level - the current govt cut it to as low a rate as possible.

So, we shouldn't have the campaign then? Righto.

Carol, that's exactly what's laid out at the bottom of the link - the petition is aiming to get the uk government to petition the EU,

Partly I was laying out the issue for everyone and partly that the petition appears only to have added the EU issue as an afterthought and partly that the petition should be at MEP's who influence the EU (apologies for too many parts)

At least you didn't start "on the one hand..."

This may sound picky but I am annoyed at the 'tampon tax' tagline used in the Change email I got about it. It is described later as about sanitary products but I dislike the normalising of tampon use specifically - not everyone does, and since they've gone to the effort of making the campaign inclusive in other ways (referring to 'men and women who menstruate') then I'd like to have seen them do it in relation to type of product too.

Yeah, but Tampon Tax is more alliterative and catchy, innit.

Does change.org only go for the UK parliament? Can't it go to MEPs?

Tampon Tax is catchier.

Mooncup money might work too though?

Anyway I find it shocking sanitary protection can still be seen as a luxury. Those women around the world who stop leaving the house or going to school when they start menstruating...they should get over themselves really. Pads are a luxury item, you don't need them. You can just bleed everywhere right?

I wonder how long it would take to get Dave on side if we all took it in turns to go bleed over Number 10?

groundhog what, just create a rota based on whos due to bleed and just go sit on a pile of straw on the doorstep of number 10 in turn until he sorts it?

As far as these trivial things go that we shouldn't be worrying about, this probably makes the list.. and then you read how a lack of suitable sanitary products affects women and girls in other countries, or poorer girls and women in this one, and you realise that actually it's pretty damn fundamental.

Sounds reasonable Gin, wouldn't you say? No straw though. It would ruin the effect.

I'm down for next week.

our local refuges always ask for donations of sanitary products, as they're costly and very overlooked. But you know, probably one of those non-issues to get out knickers in a twist about.

groundhog sounds excellent, im all for it. You are right about the straw though. Also, who could be bothered to carry it there? Not me!

One thing I wanted to know - since the current taxation is one of the (rather rare) examples of EU policy actually being bloody stupid and not opt-outable, is what would UKIP do about it? Shouldn't this be one of their big campaigning issues, since it affects such a large proportion of the electorate?

Yes, when our school asked for food bank donations for harvest festival I went on the website for a look and sent DS in with toothbrushes and a selection of sanitary wear (DS is 4, he couldn't care less, and knows what these things are as much as any 4 year-old does - I wasn't using him for some kind of point, just because those were things the foodbank specifically said they needed)

I noted that none of my stuff was in their harvest festival display though

Oh nice Errol, that is very, very much a good point and should be part of their platform!

hahah Can you imagine Farage being forced to discuss "lady bits"?!

It is part of their platform.

Not based on specific items, but UKIP appear to want to replace VAT and replace it with a luxury tax.

I googled UKIP/VAT/ Sanitary products and whilst I didn't check every link , it does seem to be something they have thought of.

The EU isn't always the better option. Lack of control over VAT is problematic as is standards of farm animal welfare ( not all EU countries apply UK standards which makes UK farmers less competitive) I doubt UKIP really care about either of these issues but they are a bit of an open goal.

But I don't just want necessary items tax-free here (or better animal welfare either) - women in other EU countries shouldn't be saddled with this stupid tax either.

Good point about the 'bleed-in' Shame I can't get down to London this week.

The EU is, by and large a positive thing, and we would be bloody foolish to opt out of it, especially if we're going to be forced to suck up TTIP. Cancelling tax on items that are necessary such as sanitary protection, should be a Europe wide initiative. I'm pretty sure women in Germany, for example, also need to use it, so it would make sense to do this as an EU wide policy change. It's probably the only way the UK Gov would accede to the change too, if we're honest.

To be fair to the current govt, they did cut it to 5%, which is a much as they are legally allowed to do, so they have totally ignored it

To be fair to the current govt, they did cut it to 5%, which is a much as they are legally allowed to do, so they have totally ignored it

Not totally ignored it

Whilst I think that vat on sanitary products is ridiculous, it's worth bearing in mind that toilet tissue attracts the full rate of vat.

Quite how visiting to toilet umpteen times a day is also a 'luxury' is anyone's guess!