Pasty Tax

You can tell a politician is particularly embarrassed by a U-turn when they hurry out to stage a compensatory photoshoot. And that’s what happened in the UK in 2012, when a curiously specific tax was due to be introduced on pies and pasties that cooled down on a shelf rather than being kept warm. It provoked rage from the baking industry who, along with the general public, were largely baffled by this move. Cue a flurry of pictures of politicians tucking into the flaky treats, including Prime Minister David Cameron (pictured above). This was followed by a hasty climbdown and is one of the most public of the many U-turns performed by the British government since the coalition took over in 2010.