A Kirklees MP has welcomed a deal to scrap the tampon tax ... but has vowed to make sure the pledge is followed through.
Paula Sherriff MP for Dewsbury, said that plans to remove the 5% VAT on the sanitary items, which were announced on Thursday night following an European Council summit, had “been a long time coming.”
But she will not remove an amendment to the Finance Bill registered following Wednesday’s Budget to ensure that the tax is formally removed.
The news follows her own and others two year campaign to urge the Government to put pressure on the EU to cancel which she says is an “absurd” tax.
READ MORE: Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff in row withColne Valley Tory Jason McCartney over EU VAT vote
At the summit in Brussels 28 leaders agreed a statement welcoming increased flexibility for member states regarding reduced rates of VAT, “which will provide the option to member states of VAT zero-rating sanitary products.”
Ms Sherriff first put in an amendment motion last October to get the so-called Tampon Tax axed by April this year but was defeated after only three Conservative MPs voted for it.
Ms Sherriff said: “I’m pleased to hear what has been agreed, but it’s been a long time coming.
READ MORE: Dewsbury MP celebrates 'tampon tax' u-turn by government
“It’s all due to everyone’s campaigning efforts, in particular the people who created and signed the petition.
“I’ve kept pressure on the Government by tabling the amendment last year and I’ve been asking questions on it nearly every week in the House of Commons.
“We were disappointed that the tax wasn’t addressed in the budget on Wednesday so I tabled in the amendment and I think that’s what drove him to go to the European Union.
“I’ll be going forward with my amendment this week which will facilitate legislation to formally get rid of the tax.”
