Sent to the Solihull Times and Sutton Coldfield News

By EU proclamation, made this month, Britain will lose ‘acres’ our imperial measurement dating from the 13th century. In 2010 acres will be banned in favour of 'hectares,' which are based on an innumerate Frenchman’s miscalculation.

A junior minister in the ‘EU Happy’ Labour government confirmed this surrender of our 'derogation,' bringing an end to the acre’s use in EU directive 80/181/EEC.

This act of pointless vandalism will anger Chartered Surveyors, like myself. Freedom is about demand and practical application, not EU harmonisation by the undemocratic command of a petty EU ignoramus.

UKIP originally funded the 'Metric Martyrs,' who fought to stop pounds being banned in favour of kilos, but the EU had its way, brutally confiscating their scales in UK market places and bringing court cases. I joined the Eurosceptic cause when the inch came under attack from the EU. But now we have a new expression “Give ‘em a square inch and they’ll take an acre!” You may think this is small measure compared to the EU Empire’s control of every corner of our British lives. Do you still think the EU is about trade?

I would ban those more expensive quirks, ‘MEPs,’ who sit back like quislings watching the EU’s political takeover. However if you think I should demonstrate an ‘acre,’ by awarding the minister an ‘acre’ on his nose, then sorry, I’m just a big peaceful UKIP pussycat sitting here in Brussels amongst ‘acres’ of expensive fat cat MEP quislings.