Tampon Tax - call to action!

[Cwenthryth]

I expect a lot of us here campaigned and signed petitions on the tampon tax a few years ago. I also wrote to my MP about the funds being raised by the tax being given to anti-choice groups.

Anyway, the reason given that the tampon tax couldn’t be scrapped altogether was that it required changes at EU level. Well, now we’re out of the EU, for better for worse. I got an update from the petition on change.org asking us to start the pressure again - the Conservative manifesto stated they would abolish tampon tax. So we need to hold them to it.

I’m not linking directly to the petition as I think that would get the thread moved from the board - it’s easily findable though. The petition organiser is asking supporters to tweet Boris Johnson & share the petition. I think some writing to MPs may be appropriate as well - who would be relevant? Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss?

Oh thanks for highlighting this. Following this thread for info from other knowledgeable posters on what is the best way to bring this issue back into focus.

What is the criteria for groups that want access for these funds? To what extent should governments control the ideological stance of groups accessing such funds?

It's 5%. Scrapping it will make little or no difference to retail prices in the shops.

Hypothecation of taxes is a bad road for govts to take. One of Gordon Brown's populist cons.

Agree with Mockers (ex HMT official here and I was there when GB announced this change - or rather didn’t announce it because it wasn’t in the budget speech but was slipped out in the accompanying briefing notes 😄)

I know it’s 5% (the minimum permitted by the EU, I believe) - I still think it is unethical to tax products that women need to manage menstruation, whether it’s 0.5% or 20%. This is also about holding Boris Johnson to account on a pledge he made to women in the Conservative manifesto. Letting him know that we are paying attention, and talking the talk isn’t enough.

The hypothecation issue is moot given that we’re calling for the tax to be scrapped anyway. But if tax is to be hypothecated to fund women’s causes - those that campaign against a women’s right to choose are not a welcome option for many of us - essentially we were (are) being forced to give money to this group when we buy sanpro.

I feel mixed about this, on the one hand it's crap they're taxed, but on the other I know some good women's projects have been funded through it, and following Mockers's point, I'd rather the money went to them rather than just being absorbed by shops to increase profits for well off probably predominantly male shareholders.

I can see that point of view. We can always donate to women’s groups directly - and campaign for government to fund projects generally, rather than just taking women’s money to solve “women’s issues” (not usually caused by women) and giving us essentially no choice in the matter.

For me, it comes down to sanpro not being a luxury item. It should not be taxed, period . The hypothecated fund was a stopgap concession when the government couldn’t abolish the tax single-handedly within the EU. Now we’re not in the EU, they can, and they said they would - I think we should hold them to account on this and remind them we haven’t forgotten.