Last year (Saturday 1 March 2025), The Times devoted a page to the Richmond Project, a charity that is being set up by the former prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty. The project’s purpose is the improvement of numeracy. Such a project poses quite a challenge. On 12 January 2026, the Sunaks were interviewed on the BBC Breakfast program about the progress of the project.
Continue reading “Richmond Project”The end of the traditional pint
Today marks the 200th anniversary of the end of the traditional ale pint.
On 1 January 1826, the traditional ale gallon of 282 cubic inches was replaced by the smaller imperial gallon; equal to the volume of ten pounds of water. This meant a reduction in the size of a pint of beer, from about 578 ml to about 568 ml.
Is the metric system the tool of the (Sea) Devil?
In Matt Groening’s The Simpsons, Grampa Simpson famously decries the metric system as being “the tool of the Devil”.
In Russell T Davies’ latest Doctor Who spin-off science-fiction mini-series, it seems the metric system is the tool of the Sea Devil too.
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Metric speed limits – 55 years of dilly-dallying
55 years ago today, the Government announced that,
“Speed limits on Britain’s roads are not to be metricated in 1973, as had been planned by the previous administration, and the Government has no alternative date in mind.”
In the 55 years since that announcement, successive governments have failed to set a new date for the changeover to metric speed limits. We reproduce here an extract from UKMA’s main website:
Continue reading “Metric speed limits – 55 years of dilly-dallying”
Met Office website drops metric wind speeds
The new version of the Met Office’s weather forecasting website no longer has the option to show wind speeds in metric units. All wind speeds are now in mph-only. Previously, users could choose from a list of different units, including metres per second and km/h.
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A “Quite Interesting” mess
If, like me, you are a regular viewer and fan of QI, the BBC’s long-running “Quite Interesting” trivia game show, you are probably frustrated by the seemingly random choice of measurement units that the programme uses to convey the sizes of things. Viewers are expected to be familiar with a whole host of units that haven’t been taught in schools for more than 50 years.
Why can I not record my cat’s weight as five pounds?
Recently, when surfing the internet, I came across some correspondence between a cat lover and a supplier of cat food. When the cat lover wished to order cat food the supplier’s web site required that he enter the cat’s weight in kilograms. However, he wished to enter the cat’s weight in pounds. He went on to say that he had measured his cat’s weight by first weighing himself (13 st 4 lbs, or 186 lbs) and then weighing himself while holding his cat. The rest of the article was devoted to correspondence between himself and the cat food company in which he voiced his preference for using pounds.
Continue reading “Why can I not record my cat’s weight as five pounds?”Obituary – Dick Taverne, Baron Taverne, KC
We at UKMA are deeply saddened to learn of the death of UKMA’s longest-serving patron, Dick Taverne, Baron Taverne of Pimlico. He was a man with a stellar career both in politics and outside, and was an avid supporter of UKMA and its cause.
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Metric mystery
Nicholas Kerr cries out against the metric mystery which has us using two systems at once.
Metric speed limits, with a limit of 30 km/h in built-up areas, could reduce annual insurance premiums by £50
Yet another argument in favour of switching to metric road speed limits has emerged since Wales switched the default speed limit in built-up areas from 30 mph to 20 mph two years ago.
Metric Views 