Members Attend Pasty Tax Rally

Communiqué de presse publié le 1/05/12 12:10 dans Europe par pour

NEWS FROM CELTIC PRESS

Members of the Kernow Branch of the Celtic League participated in a protest rally on the weekend against a UK government proposed tax on the Cornish pasty.

Despite torrential rain, the rally was attended by over 700 people and took place in Aberfal/Falmouth on Sunday (29th April). Cornish comedian 'Kernow King' organised the rally to draw attention to the proposed tax hike that could see a 20% tax put on pasties. The plans were put forward in the UK Chancellor's Spring Budget and will affect pasties that are sold 'ambient' (hot) rather than cold.

At the rally campaigners drew attention to the ridiculousness of the proposals and how the authorities will be able to monitor whether a pasty has been sold 'ambient' or not. Campaigners also pointed out that even though a 50p increase in the cost of a pasty may not sound like much to the millionaire clad Tory/Lib Dem Government it was to the average Cornish person. ?Kernow King? (aka Edward Rowe) began an an article in the UK ?The Guardian? newspaper yesterday (30th April) by pointing out that Cornwall is one of the poorest regions in Britain and a pasty tax would hit an industry worth more than £100m to our economy. The Cornish live on some of the poorest wages in the UK and in an economy where the GDP falls far below the EU average. Assistant General Secretary and member of the Cornish Branch, Tony Leamon, who attended the rally, said:

So many people have turned out today to show their utter rejection of another government tax on the ordinary man and woman.

Ironically among the speakers at the rally were Liberal Democrat and Conservative politicians who were supporting the tax in Westminster(!), but other included Mebyon Kernow?s Loveday Jenkin and Independent Bert Biscoe. In addition Deputy Grand Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh, Maureen Fuller, also spoke saying:

We're gathered here today to protest against injustice being rained upon us once again by the Westminster Government.
Maureen Fuller added that the pasty had been a lifesaver for Cornish people when times are hard, providing a cheap and nutritious meal for the masses.

An army marches on its stomach and Cornwall marches on its pasties, she said.

An online government petition to scrap the tax has now attracted over 4000 signatures.