Wednesday, January 05, 2022
Yet another abandoned Brexit promise
It is another day, and another Brexit promise has seemingly fallen under the bus. The Mirror reports that a flustered Boris Johnson has been confronted over his own dodgy Brexit pledge on scrapping the 5% VAT rate on energy bills:
The Prime Minister vowed before the 2016 EU referendum that “when we Vote Leave, we will be able to scrap this unfair and damaging tax”.
He added at the time: “It isn’t right that unelected bureaucrats in Brussels impose taxes on the poorest and elected British politicians can do nothing."
But Mr Johnson has now been in power for two and a half years and has made no pledge to scrap the VAT rate since taking office.
Today he blustered and waffled after he he was asked if he had misled voters at the No10 press conference, insisting: “Not at all”.
Mr Johnson appeared to hint help is on the way for Brits who are bracing for a possible £600-a-year rise in the energy price cap in April.
He insisted “I’m not ruling out further measures”, adding: “ Rishi Sunak is very, very mindful of the increase in energy prices and the effect of increasing energy prices on people up and down this country.
“And we are going to do what we can to help.”
But of the VAT cut idea he supported six years ago, he said: “It’s a bit of a blunt instrument.
As Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis has warned, households face a "seismic" hit to their energy bills. Surely, now is the time for ministers to step in and stop fuel poverty getting out of control by carrying out the Prime Minister's promise of scrapping VAT on fuel bills.
The Prime Minister vowed before the 2016 EU referendum that “when we Vote Leave, we will be able to scrap this unfair and damaging tax”.
He added at the time: “It isn’t right that unelected bureaucrats in Brussels impose taxes on the poorest and elected British politicians can do nothing."
But Mr Johnson has now been in power for two and a half years and has made no pledge to scrap the VAT rate since taking office.
Today he blustered and waffled after he he was asked if he had misled voters at the No10 press conference, insisting: “Not at all”.
Mr Johnson appeared to hint help is on the way for Brits who are bracing for a possible £600-a-year rise in the energy price cap in April.
He insisted “I’m not ruling out further measures”, adding: “ Rishi Sunak is very, very mindful of the increase in energy prices and the effect of increasing energy prices on people up and down this country.
“And we are going to do what we can to help.”
But of the VAT cut idea he supported six years ago, he said: “It’s a bit of a blunt instrument.
As Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis has warned, households face a "seismic" hit to their energy bills. Surely, now is the time for ministers to step in and stop fuel poverty getting out of control by carrying out the Prime Minister's promise of scrapping VAT on fuel bills.
