George Osborne eats his words on half-baked plan
As a nation of pie lovers did George Osborne really think he’d get away with a pasty tax?
Surely that’ll be the question on most people’s lips as they’re tucking into a hot sausage roll after the Chancellor signalled a retreat over the pasty tax that’s got everyone hot under the collar.
His budget announcement sparked protests from bakeries and consumers who claimed it was an unfair tax on millions of working-class Britons who enjoyed pasties, sausage rolls and pies for lunch.
Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Gilbert welcomed the move after tabling an early day motion and raising the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions.
He said: ‘The Cornish people have won and there will be dancing in streets from Land’s End to the Tamar as people hear that the Government has dropped their plans to clobber local people and local businesses with this tax.’
Mr Osborne admitted his original plan was unfair to ordinary Brits and could hurt small firms. This is his third retreat over measures in his Budget, which is blamed by many MPs for starting a slump in the polls for the Conservatives.
Big stores like Sainsburys and Tesco will have the 20 per cent tax imposed on food they cook and keep hot for sale, like chickens.
