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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/09/labour-mocked-over-peas-in-a-pod-vat-attack-ad
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| Labour criticised over 'peas in a pod' VAT attack ad | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| When Ed Miliband appointed David Axelrod as an adviser back in April, many were delighted. Perhaps the man who had masterminded Barack Obama's 2008 campaign could sprinkle some of his fairy dust on unglamorous Ed and propel the Labour party to election glory. Unfortunately, it seems he has yet to find his feet. | When Ed Miliband appointed David Axelrod as an adviser back in April, many were delighted. Perhaps the man who had masterminded Barack Obama's 2008 campaign could sprinkle some of his fairy dust on unglamorous Ed and propel the Labour party to election glory. Unfortunately, it seems he has yet to find his feet. |
| Just two days ago, a party political broadcast depicting Nick Clegg being chased by a cat was roundly criticised for not containing any actual policies. Undeterred, on Friday morning the latest attack advert was released - another policy-free attack on Cameron and Clegg's chumminess, labelling the PM and his deputy "two peas in a pod". It also contains the line "They put £450 extra VAT on your shopping bill." Presumably it was for reasons of space that there is no mention of the fact that former Labour chancellor Alistair Darling also planned to raise VAT. | Just two days ago, a party political broadcast depicting Nick Clegg being chased by a cat was roundly criticised for not containing any actual policies. Undeterred, on Friday morning the latest attack advert was released - another policy-free attack on Cameron and Clegg's chumminess, labelling the PM and his deputy "two peas in a pod". It also contains the line "They put £450 extra VAT on your shopping bill." Presumably it was for reasons of space that there is no mention of the fact that former Labour chancellor Alistair Darling also planned to raise VAT. |
| Unfortunately, it did not take long for political commentators and Twitter users to notice that most of the items in the image are zero-rated. This includes the peas, plus all of the other vegetables, the biscuits (ones with chocolate chips inside are zero-rated, whereas chocolate covered ones would be liable), the ketchup and probably whatever's in that mysterious silver tin. It did not take long for the parodies to start. | Unfortunately, it did not take long for political commentators and Twitter users to notice that most of the items in the image are zero-rated. This includes the peas, plus all of the other vegetables, the biscuits (ones with chocolate chips inside are zero-rated, whereas chocolate covered ones would be liable), the ketchup and probably whatever's in that mysterious silver tin. It did not take long for the parodies to start. |
| @paulwaugh here is mine pic.twitter.com/qN32cUERLs | @paulwaugh here is mine pic.twitter.com/qN32cUERLs |
| In fact, the only identifiable things in the advert that would be liable for VAT are the washing-up liquid, the bottles of soft drinks and the beer. And you'd have to get through £18,000 worth of them for them to cost you £450. | In fact, the only identifiable things in the advert that would be liable for VAT are the washing-up liquid, the bottles of soft drinks and the beer. And you'd have to get through £18,000 worth of them for them to cost you £450. |