Vacuum Cleaner Ban Sucks

In the same week that we saw Clacton MP Douglas Carswell defect to UKIP, more fuel has been added to the anti-EU brigade’s fire. This is hardly surprising as consumers are urged not to panic buy, and of course ignoring the advice, in the wake of the impending EU legislation that will see vacuum models with power ratings above 1600kw being banned.

According to Hoover, whose name had become synonymous with vacuum cleaners, until the arrival of Henry and Dyson, wattage is an important consideration because motor power alone does not guarantee better suction.

With sales up by 40% at least our local retailers are benefitting from yet another attempt to dictate what we do in our own homes. It is this nonsense, a further infringement of our right as consumers to choose what we buy, and how we live our lives, that will surely serve to consolidate feelings of dissatisfaction.

I blame our MEPs. Content to get on board the EU gravy train, once on board, they appear to do little to halt these petty intrusions. Minor as they may seem on the surface, collectively, over a period of years, we have seen a slow and steady creep of EU interference since we joined in 1973, more than 40 years ago. I wouldn’t mind betting that a peek into their homes will reveal that they are not planning to tow the line, and practice what they are preaching to the rest of us. In many cases it is likely to be of no personal consequence to them, as it will be their poorly paid maids who will have the onerous task of trying to clean their mansions, with less effective equipment.

Respected consumer group Which? has urged shoppers to buy the more powerful models while they still could, saying “if you’re in the market for a powerful vacuum, you should act quickly, before all of the models currently available sell out”.

I’m all in favour of energy ratings, allowing us to choose what we want from an appliance.

If low power models of electrical appliances are in fact equally effective, then why would we have been buying more powerful models? Critics say cleaners satisfying the new rule may use less power but householders will have to use them for longer – so they are likely to use the same amount of electricity in the long run. The more powerful models do the job more quickly, saving time and energy.

How dare they dictate to us what we can and cannot import into Britain. I feel much the same way over energy saving light bulbs, which are not only ugly, but provide poor quality light.

If we’re not careful they will soon be telling us how many sheets of toilet paper we are permitted to use according to our bowel movements, where no doubt a measuring device to calculate output will soon be installed. We are now 30 years past the predictions outlined in George Orwell’s iconic novel, 1984, and if things continue in the same way he won’t have been far wrong.

I can appreciate our need to reduce power consumption but where is the freedom of choice in how we use that power? I live alone and my energy consumption compared to the average household is extremely low, and I bitterly resent measures such as this. The referendum can’t come soon enough, and if things continue this way for much longer, to my mind there will be little doubt as to the outcome.