Mess, Muddle and Pasties

I have eaten any number of pasties in my lifetime and though for the most part they look appetising when on the shelf they have never done anything other than disappoint when bitten into. They are truly awful indigestible things and why anyone should care whether or not they should be sold subject to VAT is beyond me. I agree though that if until now they've been VAT free it is pointless and petty for them suddenly to be subject to VAT. It would surprise me if more than 100 pasties were eaten in a week worldwide so the tax raised by charging VAT on sales of them in this country is not worth the cost of collection. The Tories have got themselves in a bit of a pickle this week what with Peter Cruddas, the Budget, pasties and the advice to stock up with petrol in jerry cans. The Cruddas affair will blow over with the decision to reveal the names of all donors and other hopeful pedlars of influence Cameron has dinner with as eventually will the drop in the top tier of tax to 45p and the granny tax which of course is not a tax at all but a reduction in the age allowance as a result of the increase in the personal allowance. The pasty tax though is different as it indicates an indifference that will stick in the back of the minds of many voters. What will also affect the views of voters is the double dip recession the OECD says we have suffered as a result of the contraction in the last quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year although how they can say that about the first quarter of this year is difficult to understand since March has not yet finished. The double dip recession will not make too much difference if for the rest of this Parliament there are no other negative growth quarters but it is a tall order and just goes to emphasise the need for growth through spending cuts. The Tories have got to start acting like Tories and not like the deceitful, preachy, works gumming up New Labour model they so admired. Furthermore Osborne has got to concentrate full time on the economy.