'Mask tax' row as Rishi Sunak refuses to extend VAT holiday on PPE

Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, has refused to extend a VAT holiday on personal protective equipment, with Labour describing the move as a "mask tax". The Government said prices for personal protective equipment (PPE) had come down since the start of the pandemic – when demand was outstripping supply – and it now had sufficient stockpiles to deliver equipment to hospitals and care homes through the winter. But critics claim putting 20 per cent onto the price of disposable face coverings