We were recently given the news that over 30 retail shops close every day – suggesting that the demise of the High Street is gaining momentum. Many reasons are put forward for this demise but the reason we see so many empty shops is really very simple – and the reason incidentally, I got out of retailing many years ago. That reason being Value Added Tax. VAT is an accountant’s tax and as such,... 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has ridiculed Britain once again by saying that “the United Kingdom has no industry any more”, media reports said. The recent spat was made during a prime time national TV broadcast, in which Sarkozy was trying to defend his decision to introduce an increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) in an attempt to boost France’s failing economy. By enforcing the 1.6...