Russell Howard demonstrates the absurdity of the tampon tax

'They’re tampons, they’re not Ferrero Rocher!'

(Russell Howard/Youtube)

The so-called tampon tax continues to cause disappointment and outrage in equal measures after MPs voted to make sure it isn’t scrapped anytime soon.

In the UK, a five per cent VAT rate reserved for non-essential items is also placed on menstrual products. This controversial taxation has dominated headlines in recent weeks after an amendment to the Finance Bill was tabled by the Labour MP Paula Sherriff.

Tampons and sanitary towels are a far cry from a luxury product, particularly while items such as Jaffa Cakes and exotic meats are considered 'essentials'. Yet MPs still voted against the amendment to scrap the tampon tax this week despite opposition to the tax from members of all of the main political parties.

The move was not well received by the politicians, women and men across the country who campaigned against the tax. Nor did it go down well with the comedian Russell Howard, who decided to spell out the ridiculousness of deeming sanitary products a luxury item rather more bluntly during his weekly show.

Why cutting tax credits and taxing tampons is bullshit

Posted by Russell Howard on Friday, 6 November 2015

“They’re tampons, they’re not Ferrero Rocher! It’s ridiculous! They’re not aspirational – you wouldn’t see Beyonce bragging about them.

“Do you know the absurd thing, you pay VAT on tampons because they’re a ‘luxury’ but you don’t pay VAT on things that are considered ‘essential’.

“Well here is a list of some of the things that the taxman thinks is essential more than tampons: helicopters; bingo; Twiglets; adult nappies; flapjacks; toffee apples; edible cake decorations; a ticket to the zoo and crocodile meat.”