Lichfield’s MP says the battle over the so-called tampon tax shows why the UK would be better out of the EU.
The Government had been unable to charge zero rate VAT on sanitary towels because of European Union rules.
But a deal has now been agreed to see the current reduced VAT rate of 5% on sanitary products removed completely.
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant welcomed the news, but questioned the timing of the decision by European leaders.
“I am pleased that after long negotiations with Brussels and having regard to the forthcoming referendum, the EU has graciously consented to allowing the UK to charge zero rate VAT on sanitary towels – the so-called tampon tax,” he said.
“We can only speculate as to whether they would have been so generous if we had not been holding a referendum on the EU.
“But the fact that the United Kingdom, the fifth largest economy in the world, had to beg permission of Brussels in the first place reinforces even more why I believe we should just leave the EU.”
