British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne was branded "heartless" yesterday for saying hard-pressed Brits could avoid his VAT hike on hot food by buying COLD pasties. He was branded a modern-day Marie Antoinette for suggesting broke Brits could dodge the 20 per cent price hike by buying cold pasties, pies and sausage rolls. And his Treasury was accused of being "insensitive" to hardship by popular bakery shop chain Greggs.
The Chancellor slapped on the tax in his Budget last week. But yesterday he clashed with Labour MP John Mann during a Treasury Committee hearing on his annual economic blueprint. Pressed on whether the "pasty tax" was fair, Mr Osborne said: "If it's cold when you buy it, it will not be VAT-able." Mr Mann also asked: "When was the last time you bought a pasty in Greggs?" The Chancellor replied: "I can't remember." The Labour MP told The Sun later: "It just shows how out of touch Osborne is.
"It's obvious he has never been in Greggs so he'll have no idea on the impact this measure will have. Let them eat cold pasties — how heartless. It sounds just like Marie Antoinette."