Tampon tax
MPs have voted to reject the motion to eliminate the 'tampon tax' by 305 to 287 Getty

MPs have voted against a proposal to abolish the so called "tampon tax" which means women pay a 5% VAT levy on sanitary products classified as "non-essential luxury items" by the EU.

However, despite MPs voting 305 to 287 against the motion to scrap the tax, a cross-party support headed by Labour has meant Treasury minister David Gauke has promised to raise the issue with the European Commission.

Currently, tampons are subjected to EU tax for not being considered essential, meaning women are charged a government fee to purchase them as well as the costs incurred by retailers. As of 2000, the VAT on tampons and sanitary towels fell from 17.5% to 5% following a campaign by Labour MP Dawn Primarolo.

Tampon Tax: How VAT is paid on sanitary products in other countries

The 5% tax on sanitary products is the lowest rate possible under EU VAT law according to HM Revenue and Customs is currently enforced by the EU.

Following the vote, Gauke said: "There is very considerable cross-party support for the UK to abolish VAT on sanitary products. To that end, I will raise this issue with the EC and other member states setting out our views – that it should be possible for member states to apply a zero rate to sanitary products.

The vote comes after an online petition labelled: "Stop taxing periods. Period" called on government to back the campaign attracted more than 250,000 signatures.

Laura Coryton, who started the change.org petition, said: "Periods are no luxury. You can 'opt-in' to extravagance. You cannot choose to menstruate. Despite this, a whole heap of disadvantages have been created for those who do. Not using sanitary products can lead to health risks, jeopardise maintaining a normal, professional or personal life, and result in public ridicule. Equally, by using sanitary products, our Government capitalises on misogynist discourse and period shame that has caused us to fear our own menstrual cycles."

Below is the full list on Conservative MPs, and two UUPs, who voted against compelling the government to cut the tampon tax:

Mp NameConstituency Vote 
Nigel AdamsSelby and AinstyCon
Adam AfriyieWindsorCon
Peter AldousWaveneyCon
Lucy AllanTelfordCon
Heidi AllenSouth CambridgeshireCon
David AmessSouthend WestCon
Stuart AndrewPudseyCon
Caroline AnsellEastbourneCon
Edward ArgarCharnwoodCon
Victoria AtkinsLouth and HorncastleCon
Richard BaconSouth NorfolkCon
Steven BakerWycombeCon
Harriett BaldwinWest WorcestershireCon
Stephen BarclayNorth East CambridgeshireCon
Gavin BarwellCroydon CentralCon
Guto BebbAberconwyCon
Henry BellinghamNorth West NorfolkCon
Richard BenyonNewburyCon
Paul BeresfordMole ValleyCon
Jake BerryRossendale and DarwenCon
James BerryKingston and SurbitonCon
Andrew BinghamHigh PeakCon
Bob BlackmanHarrow EastCon
Nicola BlackwoodOxford West and AbingdonCon
Nicholas BolesGrantham and StamfordCon
Peter BoneWellingboroughCon
Victoria BorwickKensingtonCon
Karen BradleyStaffordshire MoorlandsCon
Graham BradyAltrincham and Sale WestCon
Julian BrazierCanterburyCon
Andrew BridgenNorth West LeicestershireCon
Steve BrineWinchesterCon
James BrokenshireOld Bexley and SidcupCon
Fiona BruceCongletonCon
Robert BucklandSouth SwindonCon
Simon BurnsChelmsfordCon
David BurrowesEnfield, SouthgateCon
Alistair BurtNorth East BedfordshireCon
Alun CairnsVale of GlamorganCon
Neil CarmichaelStroudCon
James CartlidgeSouth SuffolkCon
Maria CaulfieldLewesCon
Alex ChalkCheltenhamCon
Rehman ChishtiGillingham and RainhamCon
Christopher ChopeChristchurchCon
Jo ChurchillBury St EdmundsCon
Greg ClarkTunbridge WellsCon
Kenneth ClarkeRushcliffeCon
James CleverlyBraintreeCon
Geoffrey Clifton-BrownThe CotswoldsCon
Therese CoffeySuffolk CoastalCon
Damian CollinsFolkestone and HytheCon
Oliver ColvilePlymouth, Sutton and DevonportCon
Alberto CostaSouth LeicestershireCon
Geoffrey CoxTorridge and West DevonCon
Stephen CrabbPreseli PembrokeshireCon
Tracey CrouchChatham and AylesfordCon
Byron DaviesGowerCon
Chris DaviesBrecon and RadnorshireCon
David DaviesMonmouthCon
Glyn DaviesMontgomeryshireCon
James DaviesVale of ClwydCon
Mims DaviesEastleighCon
David DavisHaltemprice and HowdenCon
Caroline DinenageGosportCon
Jonathan DjanoglyHuntingdonCon
Michelle DonelanChippenhamCon
Steve DoubleSt Austell and NewquayCon
Oliver DowdenHertsmereCon
Jackie Doyle-PriceThurrockCon
Richard DraxSouth DorsetCon
Flick DrummondPortsmouth SouthCon
James DuddridgeRochford and Southend EastCon
Alan DuncanRutland and MeltonCon
Iain Duncan SmithChingford and Woodford GreenCon
Philip DunneLudlowCon
Tom ElliottFermanagh and South TyroneUUP
Michael EllisNorthampton NorthCon
Jane EllisonBatterseaCon
Tobias EllwoodBournemouth EastCon
Charlie ElphickeDoverCon
George EusticeCamborne and RedruthCon
Graham EvansWeaver ValeCon
Nigel EvansRibble ValleyCon
David EvennettBexleyheath and CrayfordCon
Michael FabricantLichfieldCon
Michael FallonSevenoaksCon
Mark FieldCities of London and WestminsterCon
Kevin FosterTorbayCon
Liam FoxNorth SomersetCon
Lucy FrazerSouth East CambridgeshireCon
George FreemanMid NorfolkCon
Mike FreerFinchley and Golders GreenCon
Richard FullerBedfordCon
Marcus FyshYeovilCon
Edward GarnierHarboroughCon
Mark GarnierWyre ForestCon
David GaukeSouth West HertfordshireCon
Nusrat GhaniWealdenCon
Nick GibbBognor Regis and LittlehamptonCon
Cheryl GillanChesham and AmershamCon
John GlenSalisburyCon
Zac GoldsmithRichmond ParkCon
Robert GoodwillScarborough and WhitbyCon
Michael GoveSurrey HeathCon
Richard GrahamGloucesterCon
Helen GrantMaidstone and The WealdCon
James GrayNorth WiltshireCon
Chris GraylingEpsom and EwellCon
Chris GreenBolton WestCon
Damian GreenAshfordCon
Dominic GrieveBeaconsfieldCon
Andrew GriffithsBurtonCon
Ben GummerIpswichCon
Sam GyimahEast SurreyCon
Robert HalfonHarlowCon
Luke HallThornbury and YateCon
Philip HammondRunnymede and WeybridgeCon
Stephen HammondWimbledonCon
Matthew HancockWest SuffolkCon
Greg HandsChelsea and FulhamCon
Mark HarperForest of DeanCon
Richard HarringtonWatfordCon
Rebecca HarrisCastle PointCon
Simon HartCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireCon
Alan HaselhurstSaffron WaldenCon
John HayesSouth Holland and The DeepingsCon
Oliver HealdNorth East HertfordshireCon
James HeappeyWellsCon
Chris Heaton-HarrisDaventryCon
Peter Heaton-JonesNorth DevonCon
Gordon HendersonSittingbourne and SheppeyCon
Nick HerbertArundel and South DownsCon
Damian HindsEast HampshireCon
Simon HoareNorth DorsetCon
George HollingberyMeon ValleyCon
Kevin HollinrakeThirsk and MaltonCon
Kris HopkinsKeighleyCon
Gerald HowarthAldershotCon
John HowellHenleyCon
Ben HowlettBathCon
Nigel HuddlestonMid WorcestershireCon
Jeremy HuntSouth West SurreyCon
Nick HurdRuislip, Northwood and PinnerCon
Stewart JacksonPeterboroughCon
Margot JamesStourbridgeCon
Sajid JavidBromsgroveCon
Ranil JayawardenaNorth East HampshireCon
Andrea JenkynsMorley and OutwoodCon
Robert JenrickNewarkCon
Boris JohnsonUxbridge and South RuislipCon
Gareth JohnsonDartfordCon
Jo JohnsonOrpingtonCon
Andrew JonesHarrogate and KnaresboroughCon
David JonesClwyd WestCon
Marcus JonesNuneatonCon
Daniel KawczynskiShrewsbury and AtchamCon
Seema KennedySouth RibbleCon
Danny KinahanSouth AntrimUUP
Simon KirbyBrighton, KemptownCon
Greg KnightEast YorkshireCon
Julian KnightSolihullCon
Kwasi KwartengSpelthorneCon
Mark LancasterMilton Keynes NorthCon
Pauline LathamMid DerbyshireCon
Andrea LeadsomSouth NorthamptonshireCon
Phillip LeeBracknellCon
Jeremy LefroyStaffordCon
Edward LeighGainsboroughCon
Charlotte LeslieBristol North WestCon
Oliver LetwinWest DorsetCon
Brandon LewisGreat YarmouthCon
Julian LewisNew Forest EastCon
Ian Liddell-GraingerBridgwater and West SomersetCon
David LidingtonAylesburyCon
Jack LoprestiFilton and Bradley StokeCon
Jonathan LordWokingCon
Tim LoughtonEast Worthing and ShorehamCon
Karen LumleyRedditchCon
Craig MackinlaySouth ThanetCon
David MackintoshNorthampton SouthCon
Anne MainSt AlbansCon
Alan MakHavantCon
Kit MalthouseNorth West HampshireCon
Scott MannNorth CornwallCon
Tania MathiasTwickenhamCon
Theresa MayMaidenheadCon
Paul MaynardBlackpool North and CleveleysCon
Jason McCartneyColne ValleyCon
Karl McCartneyLincolnCon
Stephen McPartlandStevenageCon
Mark MenziesFyldeCon
Johnny MercerPlymouth, Moor ViewCon
Huw MerrimanBexhill and BattleCon
Stephen MetcalfeSouth Basildon and East ThurrockCon
Maria MillerBasingstokeCon
Amanda MillingCannock ChaseCon
Nigel MillsAmber ValleyCon
Anne MiltonGuildfordCon
Andrew MitchellSutton ColdfieldCon
Penny MordauntPortsmouth NorthCon
Nicky MorganLoughboroughCon
Anne Marie MorrisNewton AbbotCon
David MorrisMorecambe and LunesdaleCon
James MorrisHalesowen and Rowley RegisCon
Wendy MortonAldridge-BrownhillsCon
David MowatWarrington SouthCon
David MundellDumfriesshire, Clydesdale and TweeddaleCon
Sheryll MurraySouth East CornwallCon
Andrew MurrisonSouth West WiltshireCon
Bob NeillBromley and ChislehurstCon
Sarah NewtonTruro and FalmouthCon
Caroline NokesRomsey and Southampton NorthCon
Jesse NormanHereford and South HerefordshireCon
Matthew OffordHendonCon
Guy OppermanHexhamCon
George OsborneTattonCon
Neil ParishTiverton and HonitonCon
Priti PatelWithamCon
Owen PatersonNorth ShropshireCon
Mark PawseyRugbyCon
Mike PenningHemel HempsteadCon
John PenroseWeston-Super-MareCon
Andrew PercyBrigg and GooleCon
Claire PerryDevizesCon
Stephen PhillipsSleaford and North HykehamCon
Chris PhilpCroydon SouthCon
Eric PicklesBrentwood and OngarCon
Christopher PincherTamworthCon
Daniel PoulterCentral Suffolk and North IpswichCon
Rebecca PowTaunton DeaneCon
Victoria PrentisBanburyCon
Mark PriskHertford and StortfordCon
Mark PritchardThe WrekinCon
Tom PursgloveCorbyCon
Jeremy QuinHorshamCon
Will QuinceColchesterCon
Dominic RaabEsher and WaltonCon
Jacob Rees-MoggNorth East SomersetCon
Laurence RobertsonTewkesburyCon
Mary RobinsonCheadleCon
Andrew RosindellRomfordCon
Amber RuddHastings and RyeCon
David RutleyMacclesfieldCon
Antoinette SandbachEddisburyCon
Paul ScullySutton and CheamCon
Andrew SelousSouth West BedfordshireCon
Alok SharmaReading WestCon
Alec ShelbrookeElmet and RothwellCon
Keith SimpsonBroadlandCon
Chris SkidmoreKingswoodCon
Chloe SmithNorwich NorthCon
Henry SmithCrawleyCon
Julian SmithSkipton and RiponCon
Royston SmithSouthampton, ItchenCon
Amanda SollowayDerby NorthCon
Anna SoubryBroxtoweCon
Caroline SpelmanMeridenCon
Mark SpencerSherwoodCon
Andrew StephensonPendleCon
John StevensonCarlisleCon
Bob StewartBeckenhamCon
Iain StewartMilton Keynes SouthCon
Gary StreeterSouth West DevonCon
Mel StrideCentral DevonCon
Graham StuartBeverley and HoldernessCon
Julian SturdyYork OuterCon
Rishi SunakRichmond (Yorks)Con
Desmond SwayneNew Forest WestCon
Hugo SwireEast DevonCon
Robert SymsPooleCon
Derek ThomasSt IvesCon
Maggie ThroupErewashCon
Edward TimpsonCrewe and NantwichCon
Kelly TolhurstRochester and StroodCon
Justin TomlinsonNorth SwindonCon
Michael TomlinsonMid Dorset and North PooleCon
Craig TraceyNorth WarwickshireCon
David TredinnickBosworthCon
Anne-Marie TrevelyanBerwick-upon-TweedCon
Elizabeth TrussSouth West NorfolkCon
Thomas TugendhatTonbridge and MallingCon
Andrew TurnerIsle of WightCon
Andrew TyrieChichesterCon
Ed VaizeyWantageCon
Shailesh VaraNorth West CambridgeshireCon
Martin VickersCleethorpesCon
Charles WalkerBroxbourneCon
Robin WalkerWorcesterCon
Ben WallaceWyre and Preston NorthCon
David WarburtonSomerton and FromeCon
Matt WarmanBoston and SkegnessCon
Angela WatkinsonHornchurch and UpminsterCon
James WhartonStockton SouthCon
Helen WhatelyFaversham and Mid KentCon
Heather WheelerSouth DerbyshireCon
Chris WhiteWarwick and LeamingtonCon
Craig WhittakerCalder ValleyCon
Bill WigginNorth HerefordshireCon
Craig WilliamsCardiff NorthCon
Gavin WilliamsonSouth StaffordshireCon
Rob WilsonReading EastCon
Sarah WollastonTotnesCon
Mike WoodDudley SouthCon
William WraggHazel GroveCon
Jeremy WrightKenilworth and SouthamCon
Nadhim ZahawiStratford-on-AvonCon

Correction: This article has been amended to state HM Revenue and Customs said 5% is the lowest rate possible and the UK does not have the lowest in Europe.