MP Uses Bingo Calls To Present Tax Argument

Birmingham MP is advocating a new tax system for UK bingo firms.

An MP campaigning for tax reforms in the bingo industry adopted the famous language of the numbers game when debating the issue in the House of Commons this week.

John Hemming, MP for Yardley in Birmingham, has urged the government to ease conditions for struggling bingo operators by reducing their tax burden, claiming that the current system is unfair.

In order to make his point, the politician used bingo parlance to demonstrate how "double taxation" is harming the industry.

"Danny La Rue 52, two fat ladies 88 and legs 11 could be a thing of the past if Her Majesty's Treasury gets its way," Mr Hemming said.

"The problem is that the government uniquely hit bingo with rugby team 15 per cent VAT and 15 per cent gross profits tax - a cumulative tax rate of buckle my shoe 32 and a quarter per cent."

Mr Hemming said that 83,000 people are members of the Mecca Bingo venue in Acocks Green, which is within his Yardley constituency.

The government has so far rejected calls for bingo tax reform, with exchequer secretary Angela Eagle claiming that cutting VAT rates would not be an "appropriate solution".