Government challenged over flat £50 holiday tax - Andy Burnham

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has refused to rule out plans to force families to pay for visa waiver documents to holiday in Europe

On the Andrew Marr programme this morning, the Minister failed to reject the proposal which is based on the US ESTA travel scheme, whereby adults and children pay $14 (£11) each. 

The plan would add £40-50 to the cost of a British family’s holiday to Spain, France or the rest of the EU. 

Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on the Home Secretary Amber Rudd’s refusal to rule out plans to force families to pay for visa waiver documents to holiday in Europe, said:

“This is yet another example of the drift and confusion as a result of the Government’s failure to plan for Brexit. Ministers should not just accept there’s a cost of £50 for the average family to go on holiday. 

"The Home Secretary’s words will not have reassured ordinarily families about the cost of Brexit. She seems to be sympathetic to an idea that will put a flat £50 tax on the average family holiday in Europe. 

"Tory Ministers might think nothing of that, but it would make it even harder for ordinary families to afford a holiday.

"Norway doesn’t have the charge so why should we? I challenge the Home Secretary to rule it out.”

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