DAVID Davies MP has spoken out against the backlash directed toward MPs over their decision to keep a tax on women’s sanitary products.

A proposed removal of the VAT rate was rejected last Monday (26th October) by 305 to 287 votes sparking uproar on social media.

Sanitary products are currently classed as ‘luxury’ items and are therefore taxed at five per cent. This is the lowest rate of tax for luxury items under EU law.

Abolishment of the ’tampon tax’ would require unanimous agreement from every member state in the EU.

The Monmouth MP has spoken up saying voting against reducing the rate would have been pointless. He said: “There’s been a lot of misinformation circulating. The government totally supports the removal of VAT on women’s sanitary products but we’re not allowed to remove it under EU law.

“Clearly women’s sanitary products are an essential not luxury item but removing the tax would be illegal because of EU regulations.

“People have every right to be angry but their anger is directed at the wrong people.”

A online petition calling for a change to the law has received more than 260,000 signatures.