Spotlight on honesty

The near-hysterical reaction (not least from certain MPs) to the Government’s proposal to apply VAT to static caravans highlights an aspect of these cases which seems to be totally disregarded or cynically ignored.

Whenever “job creation/ preservation” is an element, it seems as though anything goes.

The need, desirability, or morality of the end product is never questioned. In the case of static caravans, it has to be decided whether these encampments are beneficial holiday getaways, that don’t incidentally blight the countryside, or whether they are really thinly disguised mini housing estates where people live cheaply all year round (save for the few weeks’ “holiday”).

It doesn’t matter which – as long as you’re honest about it and before you make concessions or give incentives to the manufacturers supposedly in the name of job creation.

It is sadly ironic that it is also East Yorks that is being promoted on this same premise both for the manufacture of the disastrous onshore wind turbine which will desecrate half the country unless curtailed now, and the production of the Hawk Jet Trainer for sale, unethically in some opinions, to Saudi Arabia.

Can we have a bit more honesty and impartial consideration from the politicians please?

From: RM Whitaker, Dale View, Hardwick Road, Pontefract.

David Cameron says to draw the VAT boundaries fairly, and to get rid of tax anomalies, we must have VAT at 20 per cent on fresh baked goods, pasties, sausage rolls and the like, and on static caravans.

If it is about fairness and getting rid of tax anomalies, why should farmers be allowed to run vehicles used for agricultural purposes on cheap red diesel, but other business using diesel engine vehicles are not?