Victory in imperial measures battle

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A deadline of 2009 had been set for metric measures to finally replace Britain's traditional imperial measures, but they have now been shelved following a change of heart at the European Commission.

Both the Conservative Party and the Metric Martyrs campaign group say they have won the battle to keep Britain imperial.

Conservative industry spokesman, Giles Chichester MEP, said that he had received confirmation from the European Commission's Industry Commissioner Gunther Verheugen that dual marking of goods in imperial and metric will "continue indefinitely".

He said that following lobbying by the Conservatives, Mr Verheugen agreed that it was good news for British and European industry to keep imperial measurements as it would make it easier for firms to sell to the United States.

Mr Chichester said: "After saving the crown on the British pint, I am happy the Conservatives have persuaded the Commission that it is good not only for international business but for the British people that traditional measurements are kept.

"I just hope there won't be any more need for Metric Martyrs and that the Government will avoid forcing metrication down the public's throat."

Mr Verheugen told the Industry, Research and Energy Committee on May 2 that he will no longer back a ban on imperial measures which was due to start in 2009.

A spokeswoman for the commissioner said in the course of recent consultation, respondents successfully made the case to be allowed to use imperial measures - "supplementary indications" - alongside metric beyond 2009. As a result, Commissioner Verheugen was expected to put the amendment forward to colleagues later this year.

She said: "His intention is to propose that in simple terms the use of supplementary indications would be granted an indefinite extension."