Signing the 5% VAT Petition

Sam Kennedy, Managing Director at Spectus Window Systems, emphasises the importance of signing the 5% VAT Petition.

Sections of the media have repeatedly called on the window industry to sign the 5% VAT Petition on the Prime Minister's No 10 website: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/reduced-VAT.

But it's all too easy for well meaning people to simply procrastinate, leave it up to others, or be deterred thinking they may lose face by publicly supporting a competitor's campaign.

It's been publicised for several months, but the campaign may not have registered with many people?.

Perhaps it just hasn't sunk in that they can make a difference?.

There must be all sorts of reasons why people haven't signed, but it's hard to think of a good one since the whole industry, and virtually every company and individual in it, stands to gain directly or indirectly from a reduction in VAT energy rated windows.

It would boost the market, and no matter how well you are doing who would say no to that?.

The campaign has partially succeeded in getting the Government to listen, but compared with the mass signings for previous petitions this is a poor showing.

The Government will deduce that since few people care enough to sign, it's safe to assume that it isn't important and can be ignored.

That's certainly not the message we want to send.

I can think of reasons why every systems company, fabricator, installer, machinery company, sealed unit and glass company, software, accessory and service provider should sign.

Rival magazines should sign too.

You don't even have to be the boss of your company to sign, since the website petition is for individuals not companies to sign.

No one has an excuse.

Regardless of who started the campaign or claims the credit it is worth signing and getting other managers and staff and everyone you know to sign up.

It only takes a moment, and we will make a difference.

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