Over 1,300 support petition urging Ministers to ditch caravan tax plan

MORE than 1,300 people have signed a House of Commons petition calling on the Government to scrap plans to introduce VAT on static holiday caravans.

According to the Treasury’s own estimate, sales of the caravans – 90 per cent of which are made in East Yorkshire – will fall by almost a third as a result.

Industry leaders say the tax threatens 1,500 manufacturing jobs and about 2,500 more in the wider tourism industry.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The petition was launched in Hull on Saturday by Hull North MP Diana Johnson, accompanied by fellow city Labour MPs Alan Johnson and Karl Turner, and Lord Prescott.

Ms Johnson said: “This Commons petition against the caravan tax is part of our cross-party campaign to persuade Ministers to think again about this unfair and destructive tax. Although the votes of Lib Dem MPs gave the Government a slender 25 Commons majority for the tax last week, it’s vital that we use every means at our disposal to register local opposition to this tax.

“Ministers seem obsessed by the relatively minor issue of how the VAT system treats different types of caravans and holiday homes, and oblivious to the fact that the caravan tax will cause the loss of thousands of jobs in and around Hull and cost the Government revenue overall.”