Caravan tax petition goes to Parliament
A group of 25 cross-party MPs hand a petition to government in protest over a proposed tax levy on caravans
TENS OF THOUSANDS of names will be presented to Parliament in protest against the caravan tax.
More than 25 MPs lined up to formally present petitions in the Commons chamber. Each was individually called and accepted by Commons officials, reports the Press Association.
Conservative Graham Stuart, who led the group comprising members of all three main parties, was critical of the plans, which would see VAT levied at 20% on static caravans from October.
By way of comparison, he said, someone buying a cottage worth £240,000 as a second home would pay £2,400 tax, while someone buying a static caravan worth £13,000 would pay £2,600 tax.
Mr Stuart said he had met the chancellor about the matter several times and received assurances the government was genuinely listening to concerns.
He said: “I will be presenting more than 4,000 signatures from my own constituency. There are many more thousands from others.”
He added that Willerby – the largest manufacturer in the UK – has announced a 90-day redundancy programme affecting 350 staff.
“The government has already extended the consultation and the chancellor has given me an explicit assurance this is a genuine listening exercise. I am extremely hopeful that we will not see the imposition of 20% VAT on 1 October,” he said.
Mr Stuart claimed the issue had already caused the largest government rebellion since a vote on tuition fees and promised pressure from government benches would cease.
He added: “It will cost the Treasury money, not make it any money.”