Brexit betrayal: UK won't cut hated EU VAT as energy bills set to cripple millions

The EU VAT is a five percent levy on energy bills introduced by the bloc back in 1993. Despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson promising Britain could get rid of this when he was campaigning for Brexit back in 2016, he has now poured cold water on calls to scrap the EU charge. Calling the measure to ease rising bills a “blunt instrument”, Mr Johnson rejected the cries from a group of Red Wall Conservatives who urged him to scrap it.

The Red Wall seats are considered traditional Labour strongholds in the North and Midlands which the Conservatives snatched up in the 2019 election.

And now, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke has echoed Mr Johnson’s stance and also rejected those calls.

It comes as bills have been skyrocketing for millions of Britons, with things only expected to get worse as an energy crisis unfolds.

After an energy price cap rise (the maximum tariff suppliers can charge) in October, now it is feared bills will rise by 50 percent when the cap soars to £2,000 in April.

Already, millions of consumers have lost out on better deals from their old suppliers which have gone bust, facing higher bills from their new providers.

Now, real concerns of fuel poverty have coincided with a cost-of-living crisis.

As inflation rises and winter persists, many have been forced to choose between going hungry or keeping warm.

But Mr Clarke did not think scrapping EU VAT was the answer.

He told BBC News: “We are not persuaded at this point that this is the right intervention (scrapping EU VAT).”

Earlier this month, Express.co.uk spoke to head of Energy Utilities Alliance Mike Foster about the energy crisis.

He was outraged by the change in tone from the Prime Minister.
Mr Foster told Express.co.uk: “It is a clear betrayal of Brexit voters, who were promised that VAT on energy bills would be scrapped.

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“This makes gas and electricity much more expensive… When we Vote Leave, we will be able to scrap this unfair and damaging tax.”

But to this day, EU VAT remains in place amid skyrocketing bills.

Express.co.uk also spoke to Lord Matt Riley, a former Conservative peer, about the energy crisis.

He said that Mr Johnson should be doing “everything he can” to alleviate energy bill rises.

source: express.co.uk