SIR – Philip Bird (T&A Letters, April 7) defends Godfrey Bloom’s opinions, but they regularly provide an easy target for his critics such as his claim that there is no greater supporter of imperial measure than he.

I suspect, however, that like demonstrators who chain themselves to the railings all day then go home at night, his devotion is little more than skin deep.

Did he, for example, buy the car with the Fahrenheit thermometer because its engine size was given in cubic inches and does he only fill up at garages that sell petrol in gallons?

Does he buy his wines and spirits in bottles containing 26 2/3 fluid ounces with their strength proof?

Does his doctor write his prescriptions in apothecaries measures like drachms and grains or will he swallow tablets weighed in milligrams when no-one is looking?

Then, when he goes to the bank, does he write his cheques in pounds and ‘new’ pennies or does he expect them to be honoured in pounds, shillings and pence?

The problem for Mr Bloom, and probably Mr Bird, is that the metric culture is now so deeply embedded that only those with the outlook of a King Canute feel it worthwhile to keep up the pretence of opposition.

Brian Holmans, Langley Road, Bingley