Clocks go back, Mogg Darkness spoils our winter days

Today, the clocks went back. Come 4:45pm it will be dark already. This is Mogg-Darkness, brought on by the neoliberal extremist MP for North East Somerset, who talked out the Daylight Saving Bill 2020-2012 , a modest Private Member's Bill that would have required the Government merely to analyse and test the effects of stopping the gloom of dark evenings.


The 10:10 climate action campaign promoted the Daylight Saving Bill, arguing that it would save the UK from emitting about 447,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, along with these claims :

• 100 lives lost due to road traffic accidents in dark evenings
• NHS costs to the tune of £140,000,000 per year
• high electricity bills
• 70,000 job losses
• increased crime rates
• the misery of thousands who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder

Note that the Daylight Saving Bill would have only required Government to investigate and test daylight saving; it would not have been bound to implement it. Yet even this was offensive to Rees-Mogg, and he filibustered it, talked it out. Stopped Government from even discussing the question of the impact of dark evenings on public life.


That he could do this is a shame on antiquated and anachronistic rules and procedures of the House of Parliament, and another blot on the name and behaviour of Jacob Rees-Mogg.

That he could do this is a shame on antiquated and anachronistic rules and procedures of the House of Parliament, and another blot on the record of Jacob Rees-Mogg.