That's Greenock Mean Time!

I have just heard on the news that the Local Government Association - and here I'm assuming that's the LGA for the generic Englandandwales - have reported that the return from British Summer Time [BST] to Greenwich Mean Time [GMT] at the end of the summer is directly responsible for the deaths of some 450 people, mostly killed in car accidents during the evening rush hour.

They have suggested that the United Kingdom should stay on BST through the autumn and winter, and go to BST-plus-one in the spring. Meaning that England and Wales would go onto Central European Time [CET], and always be one hour ahead of GMT.

They propose that there should be a three-year experiment to evaluate the comparative benefits of the scheme. This experiment was tried before between 1968-71, and resulted, according to ROSPA, in the deaths of 2500 people per year.

Any plan to put the whole of the UK onto CET means that Scotland, especially the fine northern parts thereof, would be plunged into darkness until lunchtime for half the year. Of course as a dyed-in the-harris-tweed Nationalist I don't have a problem with my country deciding on its own practical time zone; in fact I'm pleased when politcs allows us to consolidate our differences. But it would be a practical nightmare for the good citizens of Berwick, or St. Abbs, or Dumfries.

These kinds of arguments get kicked around almost every weekend the clocks change; largely because news is quieter at weekends and lobby groups post their reports then to improve their audibility.

But surely - joking apart - you couldn't have Greenwich Mean Time that never applied in Greenwich!

Andrew Mishmash

PS I have just remembered that HM Forces need not be concerned with this pettyfoggery as all operations anywhere in the world are conducted on GMT - militarily known as Zulu Time. But you knew that, Andy McNabb fans, didn't you?