The Sport and Recreation Alliance has renewed its support for the Lighter Later campaign, teaming up with 10:10 to make a second attempt at passing the Daylight Savings Bill through parliament.
Back in 2011 the Alliance announced its backing of the Lighter Later campaign to move UK clocks forward by an extra hour all-year-round which if implemented, would result in an extra hour of sunlight in the evening that would, amongst many other benefits, give people more time to exercise and play sport outside in the evening.
Lead by 10:10 with support from a coalition of over 90 organisations including the Alliance, the campaign focused on getting a Private Members Bill – the Daylight Savings Bill through parliament. The Bill would have resulted in a review of the evidence for and against a clock change, followed by a real-life trial if the review deemed it suitable.
As the Bill worked its way through the various stages of parliament gathering overwhelming support as it progressed, it was only at the final reading that the Bill was quashed – and only then, ironically, because it ran out of time. Unfortunately, the Bill was 'talked out' by a handful of backbench MPs using wrecking tactics, all in spite of the fact that over 150 MPs across all parties turned out to support it.
But this isn't the end for Lighter Later. The Alliance is pleased to announce that it has teamed up with 10:10 to re-launch the campaign and provide even more support and backing than the first time round.
The next step for the Lighter Later team is to get the Daylight Savings Bill back on to the agenda in parliament – by getting one of the twenty MPs selected in today's Private Members Ballot to adopt it as their bill.
These twenty MPs will be lobbied from all sides by groups jostling to get their issue in front of parliament but Lighter Later will be campaigning to get clock change – already an attractive, high-profile issue – as one of them.
