I HATE BRITISH WINTERTIME!

I awoke this morning at my usual time of 8 o'clock.  The sun was just peeping through the blinds and then it dawned on me that I had forgotten to put the clocks back.

An impending doom spread over my mind, as I realised that once again, I was going to have to live in a  world of dark and cold for 6 months.  Why do we have to be one hour back from the continent?  Why can't we have 'double summertime', like the nice Mr Cameron wants?  Because some farmer in the north of Scotland objects?  So we all have to lose one hour of sunshine and light to keep his coos happy?  

I got into an argument with some teuchter from Caithness, (north of Scotland where John o'Groats is), who was complaining that it wouldn't be light until 9.30 in the morning if we went to continental time.  As I told him, if I lived on an island and the wind blew for a couple of months and ferry couldn't dock, I would just have to put up with it.  So if you don't like it move south!  Why should the rest of us suffer because 2% of the population of Britain lives in the north of Scotland?  It seems to work OK in Finland, Denmark and Sweden!

Of course, Alex Salmond is going to make a play of an argument with the rights of Scottish farmers over the rights of the rest of the UK.  He's quite right to do that as well.  It's his job to make Scotland independent or at least, 'Devo maxed, i.e. in charge of all our own tax and spend with shared responsibilities with the rest of the UK for things like defence.  That will be the first move towards an independent Scotland, mark my words.  But, in the meantime, can I have my summer back?