This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6988521.stm
The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| EU gives up on 'metric Britain' | EU gives up on 'metric Britain' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The European Union is set to confirm it has abandoned what became one of its most unpopular policies among many people in Britain. | The European Union is set to confirm it has abandoned what became one of its most unpopular policies among many people in Britain. |
| It is proposing to allow the UK to continue using pounds, miles and pints as units of measurement indefinitely. | It is proposing to allow the UK to continue using pounds, miles and pints as units of measurement indefinitely. |
| The European Commission will announce later it is leaving all future decisions to the British government. | The European Commission will announce later it is leaving all future decisions to the British government. |
| The decision is being seen as a victory for supporters of the ancient imperial system, the so-called "metric martyrs". | |
| Pint saved | Pint saved |
| The UK had been due to set a date for phasing out all its imperial measurements within three years. | The UK had been due to set a date for phasing out all its imperial measurements within three years. |
| This would have meant setting a deadline for ending the traditional delivery of pints of milk - and the sale of pints of beer in Britain's pubs. | This would have meant setting a deadline for ending the traditional delivery of pints of milk - and the sale of pints of beer in Britain's pubs. |
| Every one of Britain's road signs would have had to be changed from miles to kilometres - a move which opponents warned would be both expensive and confusing. | Every one of Britain's road signs would have had to be changed from miles to kilometres - a move which opponents warned would be both expensive and confusing. |
| Steve Thoburn made headlines around the world over his campaign | Steve Thoburn made headlines around the world over his campaign |
| But it was the move, begun in 2000, to make Britain's market traders sell their produce in kilograms rather than pounds and ounces which caused outrage among traditionalists. | But it was the move, begun in 2000, to make Britain's market traders sell their produce in kilograms rather than pounds and ounces which caused outrage among traditionalists. |
| Sunderland grocer Steve Thorburn inspired the "metric martyr" movement with his defiance of the order to abandon the imperial measurements. | Sunderland grocer Steve Thorburn inspired the "metric martyr" movement with his defiance of the order to abandon the imperial measurements. |
| In 2001, his scales were confiscated and he earned a criminal conviction for selling a pound of bananas from his market stall. | In 2001, his scales were confiscated and he earned a criminal conviction for selling a pound of bananas from his market stall. |
| He died unexpectedly from a heart attack three years ago, and while the campaign he founded failed to win traders the right to ignore metric weights altogether, it has brought some results | |
| The traders will continue to be allowed to show both metric and imperial prices for their goods. | |
| 'No problem' | 'No problem' |
| Under the plans which have now been scrapped, even displaying the price of fruit and vegetables in pounds and ounces would have become grounds for a criminal prosecution. | |
| I want to bring to an end a bitter, bitter battle that has lasted for decades and which in my view is completely pointless Gunter Verheugen, industry commissioner Pounds, pints and the EU Will we ever go metric? | I want to bring to an end a bitter, bitter battle that has lasted for decades and which in my view is completely pointless Gunter Verheugen, industry commissioner Pounds, pints and the EU Will we ever go metric? |
| The decision to back down was made by Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen. | |
| His role includes trying to improve the EU's reputation in member states - and in an interview with the BBC, he admitted the EU had been making itself unpopular on an issue that didn't really matter. | His role includes trying to improve the EU's reputation in member states - and in an interview with the BBC, he admitted the EU had been making itself unpopular on an issue that didn't really matter. |
| "I organised a huge consultation, and the result was that industry told us there was no problem with the existing system. | "I organised a huge consultation, and the result was that industry told us there was no problem with the existing system. |
| "I want to bring to an end a bitter, bitter battle that has lasted for decades and which in my view is completely pointless. We're bringing this battle to an end." | "I want to bring to an end a bitter, bitter battle that has lasted for decades and which in my view is completely pointless. We're bringing this battle to an end." |
| 'Extremely misleading' | 'Extremely misleading' |
| However, campaigners on both sides of the debate have played down the significance of the announcement. | However, campaigners on both sides of the debate have played down the significance of the announcement. |
| John Gardner, director of the pro-imperial British Weights and Measures Association, said: "I've seen the European Commission statement and what they're saying is it will be allowed to use imperial measurements as additional information. | John Gardner, director of the pro-imperial British Weights and Measures Association, said: "I've seen the European Commission statement and what they're saying is it will be allowed to use imperial measurements as additional information. |
| "We think that the European Commission statement is extremely misleading. | "We think that the European Commission statement is extremely misleading. |
| "From our point of view the situation hasn't changed and the campaign goes on. | "From our point of view the situation hasn't changed and the campaign goes on. |
| "If a trader tries to conduct his business in just imperial measurements that will be illegal." | "If a trader tries to conduct his business in just imperial measurements that will be illegal." |
| 'Business as usual' | 'Business as usual' |
| The UK Metric Association said the statement does not mean that traders can go back to weighing and pricing in imperial measures, and it will be "business as usual". | The UK Metric Association said the statement does not mean that traders can go back to weighing and pricing in imperial measures, and it will be "business as usual". |
| Chairman Robin Paice said: "While we regret this proposal to prolong the current muddle of metric and imperial units, it will only delay but not stop the inevitable move toward all-metric shopping. | Chairman Robin Paice said: "While we regret this proposal to prolong the current muddle of metric and imperial units, it will only delay but not stop the inevitable move toward all-metric shopping. |
| "Many of the big supermarkets have already stopped giving obsolete imperial prices, and we expect this trend to continue. There is no question of going backwards." | "Many of the big supermarkets have already stopped giving obsolete imperial prices, and we expect this trend to continue. There is no question of going backwards." |
| Britain first mooted plans to convert to an all-metric system in 1965. | Britain first mooted plans to convert to an all-metric system in 1965. |
| That led to generations of schoolchildren being promised that they would be the last ones who would have to learn two different systems. | That led to generations of schoolchildren being promised that they would be the last ones who would have to learn two different systems. |