In my entry of 1st March I stated that "the metrication debate in the UK has run for over a hundred years, ever since the House of Commons first voted to go metric in 1863".

Confirmation that this issue will run and run has arrived with an email from a regular reader of this blog who has pointed to an opinion poll in "The Metro" which apparently shows only 38% in favour of metrication and 62% against. This is the exact mirror image of the opinion poll just one month ago in the Independent on Sunday which showed 62% in favour and 38% against.

As the figures fluctuates so wildly, it would suggest that views on this matter are not strongly held. Certainly I get very few letters or emails on this issue, but those that do write in on this subject are often passionate in their support or opposition, as the case may be, to metrication. As I said on 1st March, I don't quite share the venom of those who oppose us simply using the same weights and measures as the bulk of the rest of the world, and I am at a loss to see why they should think that metrication was all caused by the European Union.