All Shropshire MPs vote against tampon tax
All of Shropshire's MPs have voted against removing a so-called tampon tax on women's sanitary products.
In a vote held in the House of Commons, a motion to open negotiations with the European Union on the five per cent tax on tampons and sanitary products was defeated by 305 votes to 287.
Montomeryshire MP Glyn Davies, North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson, Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski, Ludlow MP Phillip Dunne, Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard and Telford MP Lucy Allen all voted against the plan.
The Labour-brought policy had only three Conservative MPs vote against party whips, along with 213 Labour MPs, five DUP MPs, six Liberal Democrats, three members of Plaid Cymru, and two SCLP MPs.
The majority of SNP MPs also voted in favour, as well as Green MP Caroline Lucas, Independent MP and Ukip MP Douglas Carswell.
Campaigners have been calling for the tax to be removed from tampons and sanitary products to be exempt from tax as they are not a luxury item. Other products, including razors are viewed as essential and are not subject to tax.
But Government ministers have claimed the current rate of tax is the lowest allowed under EU law.
The motion, proposed by Labour MP Paula Sherriff, was supported by the party's front bench.
The previous Government cut the rate of VAT on sanitary products from 17.5 per cent to the five per cent rate.
