Let There be Very Costly Light

As the hapless Catholic parishioners of Beccles, Suffolk, have discovered, there is a new twist to the old joke about changing light bulbs. Until recently, when the flock of St Benet's needed to replace a bulb in their lofty late-Victorian priory church, it was just a matter of someone shinning up a ladder. Now they have been advised that, thanks to regulations implementing the EU's "working at height" directive, 2001/45, their roof is so high that this is no longer permissible. The job can only be done by putting up scaffolding.

When a bulb recently needed changing, I am told by Father Anthony Sutch, the parish priest (formerly a lively headmaster of Downside school), "it cost us £1,300". To renew all the bulbs, "which formerly would have taken a couple of hours, will now take three days". How many EU Commissioners would it take to change a light bulb? Don't even ask.
The Sunday Telegraph, 16th October 2005

Further Resources
Fed up with the EU and want to do something about it?

The Real Face of the European Union by Phillip Day, video documentary (PAL format only)
Ten Minutes to Midnight by Phillip Day

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