The Freedom Party has dropped its plans for a tax on headscarves. During a debate over the tax plan for 2010, the party's financial spokesperson Teun van Dijck failed to mention the tax. When prompted by a member of the Socialist party he said the tax had not been included in the party's budget.

When pushed on the subject he did ask the deputy financial affairs minister Jan Kees de Jager whether he could work out how much it would yield.

During the budget debate in September, Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders said he wanted to introduce a tax on headscarves of 1000 euros. He was severely criticised by the other parliamentary parties for the suggestion. However, such a tax was never part of the party's official budget plan.

Photo: Headscarves - Flickr Claudius Prösser