FORCES OF DARKNESS REPELLED AS TORIES DITCH CLOCK CHANGE

For Immediate Release: Friday 4 March 2011

Attn: NEWSDESKS

POLITICAL CORRESPONDENTS

The SNP has welcomed news that the UK Government has abandoned its plans to move the clocks to European time. Plans to move the clocks forward by one hour had been expected within the UK Government’s tourism strategy published today (Friday).

Na h-Eileanan an Iar MP Angus MacNeil, who has tabled an amendment to the Scotland Bill to ensure that any future Westminster proposal to shift the clocks would require the consent of the Scottish Parliament, said:

“I am delighted that the forces of darkness have been repelled, and that the Tory/Lib Dem government in London has dropped this terrible idea.

“Moving to double summer time would have condemned everywhere north of Manchester to dark mornings. It was a daft idea which would have had a damaging effect on safety, health, energy consumption and commerce.

“The evidence put forward supporting this change was dubious at best and ignored the sound reasons why this change was abandoned after being trialled in the 1970s, and more recently by other European neighbours.”

ENDS