2024-01-04

From the Letters page of a Scottish newspaper, The National. You need to scroll down the page, so the letter is reproduced below:

I saw the headline in Financial Times “UK quietly drops Brexit law to return to imperial measurements” with the subtext: “Jacob Rees-Mogg attacks decision despite public consultation that revealed little appetite for move away from metric system”.

Frankly, I doubt I could imagine anything more stupid and damaging than to leave the metric system, which is worldwide except for USA – and they do not even share the same size of pint or gallon! Prosperity for a small trading country like UK – or Scotland – depends on simplifying transactions, and taking away barriers to trade.

Already we have seen how England steamrollered over Scottish preference to remain in EU, and dragged us out against our will. The possibility of being dragged out of the metric system is frightening!

The sooner Scotland is in charge of her own destiny, the better.

Rod Dalitz
Edinburgh