I'm not sure if you're just letting off steam because you haven't actually asked a question but there could be a couple of reasons why you have been charged VAT:
1. Regardless of current location if either your or the seller's account was originally created in a country other than the UK VAT will be levied on the purchase cost, even if both accounts had at a later date been updated to UK addresses.
2. You don't give any details or mention the amount of VAT you were charged but eBay's Simple Delivery and Buyer Protection Fee costs are liable to VAT because they are a service. Although you wouldn't see the VAT element during purchase it would be shown separately on the payment breakdown. As a rough guide a BPF cost of a couple of £s plus an SD cost of £3-ish would include VAT of around £1, and that would be shown separately on the Order Details screen.
