Don't blame it on sunshine ...

The explanation for my thoughts turning to shrapnel, Kitchener and cows called Daisy can actually be found in the darkness that has enveloped our journeys home from work over the last week. I refer of course, to the clocks being put back.

Now, like me, I'm sure you enjoyed the benefits of the long days of British Summer Time (BST) we have just lost. For this we need to give thanks to a man called William Willett who, in 1907, cooked up the idea of moving the clocks forward, so incensed was he at people wasting the sunshine (or what we have of it).

So from April to October, when you finish work and hit the beer garden, remember to raise a glass now and again to Bill.

Unfortunately William ran out of time before the powers that be put his idea in to place in 1916 - a response to the Germans doing it first at the height of the World War One. It was felt prudent to be up and about at the same time as the enemy, rather than receive an early morning wake-up call from a man in a pointy hat with a gun and bayonet. It didn't hurt production either.

Since then, various experiments have been held with the clocks, including double British Summer Time during the Second World War and a three-year switch to 'permanent' summer from 68-71.

So why then, have we settled on moving the clocks back in October and giving up what precious social time we have to the darkness?

Well, this leads me neatly on to the farmers.

One of the cons of the clocks moving forward an hour is farmers have to get up in pitch dark when the rest of us are softly snoozing (it's darker in the mornings and lighter in the evenings this way, remember). Some say the crops don't like the extra hour of sunshine in the dry part of the year or that cows don't work to the human clock and would rather be milked on nature's queue at the dawn chorus.

All valid points. And should all be ignored.

When last I checked, Britain was no longer an agricultural nation for the most part, but one of industry. Permanent summer time means happier workers, less traffic accidents, more daylight time to enjoy a social life '“ including keeping fit '“ and, in these times of global warming and carbon footprints, would mean we could turn on the lights and heating an hour later.

In effect, it would benefit any nine-to-five worker. That's most of us.

Maybe the farmers are right of course, and this isn't meant to be a personal attack '“ it's just when I'm sat indoors at 4pm and I'm depressed by the world shrouded in darkness, I'd like to be able to blame somebody.

In fact, some farmers have come round to the 'summer' way of thinking '“ it's been reported the farmer's union have softened their stance on the issue anyway.

So maybe it's not them I should be blaming, it's the Government. One suspects, when something is this obvious and so beneficial, the explanation for it not being implemented simply boils down to the fact it would take too much effort. And possibly cause cross-border squabbling '“ another potential argument against my beloved BST. The PM is a Scot after all.

But for those who worry about our Scottish cousins and it being dark in Aberdeen until 11am in winter '“ they have their own Parliament now, so it's not an issue. They can keep the chill and us southern softies can drive home in daylight. It's win, win.