Imperial measurements are “universally understood” in Britain, Downing Street declared today over Boris Johnson ’s pounds and ounces push that’s been blasted as a “distraction”.
No10 claimed non-metric units are “widely used and understood” as the Prime Minister prepares to announce a departure from EU rules on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Since 2000 greengrocers and butchers have had to sell food using grams and kilos under EU law. They can label food in pounds and ounces too, as long as the font isn’t bigger than the metric sign.
But the government will announce a consultation on Friday on selling food in both metric and imperial - something they already announced in September but is being repeated for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Separately, the government is expected to issue new guidance allowing glassmakers to voluntarily stamp the Crown on pint glasses.
The Crown was replaced in 2006 by the EU’s CE mark as a symbol of a genuine pint.
MPs say the move is a “distraction” from real issues and won’t make much difference anyway, because ministers had said both changes will be voluntary.
The EU also insists glassmakers can already use the crown alongside the CE mark. And even under the UK’s proposed changes, it will still have to be used alongside a separate UK conformity mark.
Labour MP Bill Esterson tweeted: “I am 6’3” tall, weigh just under 14 stone and drink pints of beer. We never stopped using imperial measures.
“Yet another example of Boris Johnson trying to distract us from what really matters. Not least the cost of living crisis.”
Lib Dem MP Tim Farron added: “Don’t really care about imperial vs metric - I personally think in pints, miles, feet, pounds and stones.
“But you can easily spot a morally bankrupt government trying to distract attention from its moral bankruptcy by banging on about this stuff from several kilometres away.”
Yet Boris Johnson’s deputy official spokesman said today: “The Prime Minister’s point is that imperial measures are widely used and understood in this country.
“Many people measure driving speed in mph for example, purchase things in terms of pounds and ounces - so it’s universally understood in this country.
“And he also wants to reintroduce the crown symbol which is a historic conformity mark dating back to 1698. He believes it’s important we celebrate our national identity and heritage and he wants to reintroduce that symbol which is fondly remembered by many.”
The spokesman was unable to say if the school curriculum would change, and did not give a yes or no answer when asked if it was a “complete waste of time”.
Instead he replied: “It’s something the PM’s set out previously, that he intends to do - these are measures that are commonly used across the country in many different aspects of people’s lives.”
Asked about the Crown stamp he added: “I believe in 2006 the Crown stamp was replaced by the CE mark which was a new conformity mark required by EU legislation.
“From that point onwards the Crown stamp was no longer required as a conformity marking on pint glasses for the UK, and the Prime Minister wants to see them return.”
Asked if there actually was an EU ban on imperial measurements he replied: “I would have to take away the specifics”.
