UK Puts a tax on PASTY'S?!?!!?

[Reece]

Prime Minister David Cameron has defended the decision to charge VAT on hot food served by shops and supermarkets. Mr Cameron said that the move - which will add 20% to the cost of hot pies and pasties sold by shops such as Greggs - would defend takeaway restaurants against competition from major chains. Chancellor George Osborne was accused of being out of touch after he was unable to recall when he last bought a pasty as he answered questions on Tuesday about the so-called "pie tax" in Parliament. But Mr Cameron was quick to declare himself a keen pasty-eater, telling reporters he recently bought a large one from an outlet at Leeds station, adding: "And very good it was too." Greggs chief executive Ken McMeikan has said ministers had "lost touch" and did not appreciate the impact the changes to VAT rules would have on ordinary people. The high street chain saw millions wiped off its shares after the Budget closed a loophole that has meant some hot takeaway foods, such as sausage rolls and pasties, escaped the duty. The move sparked outrage, with critics pointing to the contrast of a cut in the 50p top tax rate. But speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Mr Cameron said that Mr Osborne was trying to bring shops into line with the VAT charged for more than two decades on takeaway burger bars, fried chicken restaurants and fish and chip shops. The Prime Minister said: "Many, many small businesses in this country, whether selling fried chicken or fish and chips or hot takeaway pies, are already paying VAT. What the Government has to try to do is make sure the VAT rules are fairly applied. "I don't think it is fair that the small businessman running a fried chicken takeaway is having to charge his customers VAT but the big supermarket isn't having to pay VAT on fresh hot chicken. It's about trying to have a sensible VAT arrangement where the boundaries are sensible."

Source:
APP
So now VAT at 20% will be charged on hot food such as Pies and Pasty's, my humble opinion is that this is bloody ridiculous and it is the government once more trying to claw at money.

What do you think about this new tax?

[Jcstodds]

Interestingly there is no VAT on food such as Caviar or Salmon.
http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/business/there-s-no-tax-on-caviar-or-smoked-salmon-so-why-put-it-on-our-pies-1-4387076

Again... why do we put up with such a rob dogging government who is like the Sheriff of Nottingham, only with a smug face and whitened teeth.

[Reece]

Of course not... anything for the rich. The middle class are just left out to dry and the poor a left to rot.

The sooner the torries get out of power.. the better..

[[NP]Monte Montague]

Yea David Cameron is financial genius!

[Ben.]

Interestingly there is no VAT on food such as Caviar or Salmon.
http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/business/there-s-no-tax-on-caviar-or-smoked-salmon-so-why-put-it-on-our-pies-1-4387076

Again... why do we put up with such a rob dogging government who is like the Sheriff of Nottingham, only with a smug face and whitened teeth.

Rich get richer, and the poor gets poorer...that is, presuming most poor people don't eat caviar!

[Jcstodds]

No, poor people eat pies and pastys from Greggs.

[Ben.]

No, poor people eat pies and pastys from Greggs.

Exactly...so we pay more (as teh poorer ones) and the rich people get richer on caviar!

[Jack Rosso]

Money has to be made from something.. 

[Reece]

Money has to be made from something.. 

It's not the point, and as you are not from the UK, it's highly unlikely that you will understand the issue with this unless you have sound political knowledge.

The torries (Conservative party) have clearly displayed a preference for the rich over any other social class. The latest budget by the ever popular Osborne, has further shown a blatant preference for the rich.. providing them with further more benefits and further displaying Favoritism for them.

As previously said, the richer get richer and the poor get poorer. But the fact is, it's not just the poor that are worse of.. it's pensioners.. it's the middle class.. the working people... THE CORE OF BRITAIN... The rich will always be favored by the Conservatives.. which is why they have no chance of coming into power again. The main reason they did this time was because nobody wanted another 4 years of the labour party after the major mess that Gordon Brown left us...

Taxing Pasty's is just another stupid move by this shitty mess coalition and the sooner they are out... the better...

[JDC]

Most politicians never truly understand the impact of the financial changes they sign, since they wear well-tailored suits on a daily basis and go to work in shiny cars.

There's no telling what they will tax next, perhaps in the near future you would not be able to afford some new underwar.

[~Legend~]

On the surface it just looks like a bit of joke, was reading it up on news and all recently.. but.. eh... the economy isn't really "great" at the moment - that we all know :P - and I really wonder what things will be like in a decade or so.

[SafetyMoose]

Don't complain about tax untill you live in a socialist society like Canada 

[Pandalink]

Of course not... anything for the rich. The middle class are just left out to dry and the poor a left to rot.

The sooner the torries get out of power.. the better..

What party would you suggest? No party represents the middle class.

No, poor people eat pies and pastys from Greggs.

Really? Greggs isn't exactly cheap.

The rich will always be favored by the Conservatives.. which is why they have no chance of coming into power again.

The tories will get into power again. The lib dems are (rightfully) a complete laughing stock and are essentially a non-party (once again), and labour is just awful at everything. They'll f**k the economy so hard that it won't even be able to walk for a week, not to mention those jackasses Miliband and Balls. Over that rubbish choice, I'll take Cameron and Osborne any day.

[Reece]

These guys.

[Pandalink]

These guys.

Indeed. I support UKIP, actually, although sadly a vote for UKIP is one less tactical conservative vote.

We'll have to wait for the EU to do something really retarded and for that thing to get mass media attention (and come into effect, thus affecting the common person) before UKIP will start gaining anything in the election. Here's hoping, though.