Instead of metric units of measurement, everything in Great Britain will soon be measured again in pounds and ounces. An old symbol is also experiencing its renaissance in pubs.
London – For Brexit advocates in the British government, Britain’s exit from the EU is a “unique opportunity” to put the country’s laws to the test and leave behind some unpopular regulations from the time as an EU member. It says in a document that the government under Prime Minister Boris Johnson published on Thursday (17.09.2021). In the course of this, a list of possible changes was published that the company wanted to tackle as quickly as possible.
One of the biggest adjustments on the basis of this “opportunity” is that in Great Britain only the imperial units of measurement pound and ounce may soon be used again instead of the metric system, whereas up to now an additional marking in grams and kilos has been mandatory. Brexit supporters see this as a liberation. For decades, the introduction of metric units of measurement on the island has been referred to as “metric martyrdom”.
“Crown Stamp” and imperial system: back to old traditions after Brexit
The so-called “Crown Stamp”, which until 2007 marked the correct calibration of – for example – beer glasses in Great Britain and was then replaced, to the horror of many, with an EU-wide alternative – should also be allowed to return after Brexit. Reason for the reintroduction: The “Crown Stamp” is an important symbol of “Britishness”.
The entire list of 23 legislative changes that was published on the government website, trade expert Sam Lowe of the Center for European Reform told the Financial Times as “a mixture of things that have no meaning at all, things that may have meaning, and things that actually have a meaning ”. He argues that the government should decide in favor of changes because these would bring “material economic benefits” and not just to deviate from the EU norm.
Criticism of Britain’s return to old units of measurement after Brexit
In addition to the cheers from Brexit supporters, the announcement from London also brought a lot of criticism. A parliamentarian from Birmingham, Jess Phillips, commented on the announcement on the short message service Twitter, noting that she had never been approached about reintroducing the old dimensions during her tenure. Instead, the people she spoke to told her that they couldn’t afford their heating bills, that disabled children couldn’t find a place in school and that no one showed up when the police called the police. She cynically comments on this contrast: “But I’m sure that will solve a quarter of a pound of candy”.
Ross Colquhoun of the Scottish National Party (SNP) also tweeted criticism: “There’s this group of British nationalists who, strictly speaking, are just a bunch of elderly white men who wish we were still in the 1970s.”
After Brexit: Great Britain announces legislative changes
One of the smaller innovations proposed in the paper for Great Britain is also aimed at truck drivers suffering from diabetes, who in the future will not have to laboriously measure their sugar, but can use a long-term system, just like motorists. Whether the government sees this change as a solution for the current shortage of goods in British supermarkets caused by a shortage of professional drivers after Brexit is not clear from the statement. (Sandra Kathe)
