Churchill Time – an idea whose time has come again
I don’t know about you, but I always feel a bit gloomy as the weekend approaches when we will get plunged into darker evenings as the clocks go back. So, I’ve got an idea that could change that: introducing Churchill Time.
We’ve been changing the clocks for more than a century since MPs first passed the British Summer Time Act of 1916. The idea came from William Willett, who was frustrated by what he saw as so much useful daylight being “wasted” on summer mornings when so many people were asleep. But over a hundred years later, is this still the right approach for the way we live and work? I’m not so sure. That’s why I’m hosting an event in Parliament this week to spark a serious conversation about changing time itself.
When Britain faced peril during the Second World War, Winston Churchill took a bold decision. He decided to push the clocks two hours ahead of GMT in summer, and one hour ahead in winter.
Why? To save energy. Britain was under pressure, and radical ideas were needed. By pushing sunset later, the change cut coal and electricity use, easing pressure on wartime energy supplies, and making evening journeys home safer.
It also gave workers more daylight hours after work and lifted public morale. Churchill himself said it increased “the opportunities for the pursuit of health and happiness” during the Blitz.
Now we confront different kinds of emergencies, not least the climate crisis, but I think we should take inspiration from that same wartime spirit.
That’s why I’m calling for a return to British Double Summer Time, or what I’m calling Churchill Time, to gives us lighter evenings by moving the UK’s clocks forward that extra hour. It would save energy, reduce bills, create jobs and help our NHS.
Here’s how. Under Churchill Time, our evenings would stay lighter for longer. That means less need for lighting and heating in homes and workplaces, cutting bills and easing pressure on the grid. Researchers from the University of Manchester I am working with suggest that the shift could save households over £400 a year and remove up to five gigawatts from the electricity grid at peak times, a huge saving in both money and emissions. During a climate crisis, Churchill Time is a practical, low-cost measure with the potential to deliver real and measurable results.
And the benefits don't stop there. Every year, we know road collisions rise after the clocks go back. The Road Safety Foundation, which supports the change, says it staying light for longer in the evenings could save up to 40 lives a year and ease pressure on our NHS.
Lighter evenings would also encourage people to get out and about, to visit parks, cafés and local shops. That means more footfall for our high streets and a welcome boost for tourism. The British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions estimate lighter evenings could add £3.5 billion a year to the visitor economy. Raby Estates backs the move too, noting it would make tourism more productive, create new jobs and deliver real benefits for local communities.
And more daylight also helps our health. The NHS warns that reduced sunlight can lower serotonin levels and worsen depression. Extra evening light means more chances to get outdoors to play sport, walk the dog or simply enjoy the day. That’s why groups from England Golf to Play England are backing Churchill Time.
It’s time to stop wasting daylight. Lighter evenings for families. Safer roads. A boost for hospitality and tourism. Less energy wasted.
Churchill Time is an idea whose time has come again.
If you agree, please sign up at: www.churchilltime.co.uk.
Alex Mayer is the Labour MP for Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard.
