17th December 2008 - Statement on imperial measurements

After MEPs voted to end Britain's commitment to convert miles, pints and pounds and ounces to metric measurements, Linda issued the following statement;

"This was the right decision, to allow the continued use of these familiar imperial measurements, which hopefully ends forever the myth that ‘European bureaucrats’ want us all to go metric. The truth, of course, is that Britain started to go metric a long time before we joined the European Union. Since it is clear that some imperial measurements remain very much in use, it is right that we repeal the commitment Britain has historically given to change them.  It is a shame that some anti-EU MEPs will spend more time concerned with this formality than they will with the important work going on in the European Union to tackle climate change and to put the economy back on a strong footing."