Metric Martyrs

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The Metric Martyrs are a British advocacy group based in the United Kingdom who campaign for the choice of how units of measurement are presented. The group states that it believes that vendors should have the freedom to mark up their goods however they choose. This can be either solely imperial, solely metric or both simultaneously; however they choose to do so. Newspapers dubbed the group the 'Metric Martyrs' after Chris Howell, then weights and measures spokesman for the Institute of Trading Standards Administration, said that they could martyr themselves if they wanted to.^[1]

The advocacy group was formed when several members were fined for offences, including not displaying metric signage as well as imperial, and for using illegal uncalibrated weighing machines. In Thoburn v Sunderland City Council, the fines were challenged in court, the verdict was in favour of Sunderland City Counil, upholding the imposition of the fines. The challenges were made on the grounds that British law does not prohibit the use of imperial units when selling loose goods, but metric units must be displayed simultaneously.

Contents 1 Defendants 2 Pardon campaign 3 See also 4 References 5 External links 5.1 Pro-metrication groups online

[edit] Defendants

In 2001, Steve Thoburn, the main defendant in the case, was convicted of two offences under the Weights and Measures Act of using weighing equipment that was not stamped by a Weights and Measures Inspector.^[2] The stamps had been obliterated because the scales were not capable of weighing in the metric system as well as imperial, and hence were no longer permitted for commercial use.^[3] He was initially convicted and given a six month conditional discharge.^[4] Thoburn died of a heart attack in March 2004.^[5]

Colin Hunt was convicted in 2001 of six offences under the Price Marking Order 1999 for failing to display a unit price per kilogram. In addition, he was convicted of four offences under the Prices Act 1974 of delivering a lesser quantity of goods than corresponded with the price charged.

John Dove and Julian Harman, were also convicted in 2001 of two offences under the Price Marking Order 1999 of failing to display a unit price per kilogram, and of two offences of using a scale that was only capable of weighing in the imperial system.

Peter Collins, who was prosecuted in 2000, was not convicted of any criminal offence. Collins appealed to the magistrates court to have laws on his street trading licence removed. These laws, to which all traders are subject, required him to label his goods in metric quantities with imperial quantities allowed only as optional, and less prominent, supplementary units.

Nic Davison in 2008 was served with an infringement notice for selling draught beer by the litre at his Polish restaurant in Doncaster. Magistrates later fined Davison £2000 and he was forced to change the glasses used in his restaurant, after refusing to comply with the infringement notice in the specified time period. Davison later had the glasses from his restaurant seized after refusing to comply with the magistrates' ruling.^[6]

[edit] Pardon campaign

Since 2001, EU weights and measures legislation has required the use of metric units for grocery goods, while permitting the use of dual-labelling of goods in both metric and non-metric units. It also provides an exception that permits the exclusive use of imperial units for draft beer, cider, bottled milk and road signs in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, without any fixed deadline.^[7] On 20 January 2005, Ireland changed speed limit signs to km/h.^[8] In 2007, the European Commission announced that it would postpone a 2009 deadline for exclusive metrication indefinitely, due to public pressure^[9] and concerns that phasing out dual-labelling would create a trade barrier with the United States, where dual-labelling is required.^[10]

In response to UK media reports that apparently misinterpreted^[11][12] the EU's announcement as an end to the existing requirement for metric labelling of grocery goods, the Metric Martyrs asked for a posthumous pardon for Steve Thoburn, who died after having his last appeal to the EU denied. Despite an early day motion by Philip Davies MP,^[13][14] the pardon was denied on the grounds that an offence had been committed under the law which was in force at the time. The 2007 EU announcement was not about a change to existing (2001) legal requirements, but rather abandoned plans for a change in 2009.^[15] Moreover, the Office for Criminal Justice Reform claimed that even if the law were to be changed, there would still be no case for a pardon "as citizens are expected to comply with the law as it is at the time".^[16]

[edit] See also

• Metrication in the UK
• Directive 80/181/EEC

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Metric Martyrs defence fund
• Pounds and ounces 'in EU victory' BBC
• Article about the Metric Martyrs case
• Metric Martyrs go to European court
• British Weights and Measures Association

[edit] Pro-metrication groups online

• UK Metric Association
• US Metric Association
• Metrication.US
• Go Metric!
• Go Metric America
• Metrication matters