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).

As Carol has already mentioned, at least the gov has looked more favourably on women by cutting it to 5%.

Incontinence pads are zero rated if they are bought as medical products. Apparently until 2010 customers only got the benefit of that if they declared they qualified for it by having a medical need otherwise VAT was charged (although apart from the time I bought Tena night pads by mistake thinking they were heavy duty night sanitary towels I can't imagine why one would buy incontinence pads if one didn't need them)

On the one hand I'm not sure I see what the difference is. 2 products designed to capture emissions from the human body over which the user has no control. Without that protection the user risks at best embarrassment or at worst being unable to mix fully and openly in society.

On the other hand having a period isn't , in itself, a medical condition.

But then again aren't the highest protection products "medical" . If you can get away with the teeny/tiny things that's what you buy. No one buys things that look like nappies (or Tena night pads) just for the fun of it.

Respite the rhetoric which stuck in the public consciousness since the 1970s, VAT is not and never has been a luxury tax.

If you want a luxury tax rather than VAT, then that is in the UKIP manifesto.

I think it was Gordon Brown who took sanpro to the lowest possible rate (5%) within the EU regulations.

I doubt any party other than those actively seeking departure from EU would want to risk the massive potential for unintended consequences by reopening this in Europe.

Her Saturday column in The Guardian has always struck me as pointless , self'-centred tripe but I'm not sure what she's on about here.

www.stylist.co.uk/people/lucy-mangan/vat-on-tampons-should-not-be-axed

scaevola I was Gorge Osbourne - the labour party are dismissive of women, hence the pink bus.
i think the luxury tax confusion is that the UK had a purchase tax on luxury items prior to VAT introduction. This was abolished when VAT was introduced, so was seen as a replacement

Actually caroldecker it was Gordon Brown back in 2000. This article is from 21st March 2000.

I've signed the petition, it's one of those things that makes you go WTF when you hear about as it's just so ridiculous.

Apologies - my error

StillLost.... that article you linked makes me wonder about Lucy Mangan's critical thinking skills. Does she not realise that these people who's benefits she's championing would be able to afford sanitary protection more easily if it didn't have VAT? One of the things that women on benefits have to decide is whether to pay for enough on the gas meter or buy adequate sanitary protection. And the pathetic squeamishness about washable sanitary towels says it all really.