Unexpected consequences
‘Preparing for a power cut’ that is the title of the leaflet that has just come in through our letter box. I know we must think about these things, but it is surely a bit early. Mind you it is quite useful in that it tells you to call 105 in case of a power cut and the web page powercut105.com will tell us if our area is affected in a national emergency. All this supposes that you have a mobile phone and it is charged up. In 1972 there were planned blackouts and I remember electricity in 1974 electricity was rationed because of the miners’ strike and an oil crisis. There was a three-day working week in this emergency. We had no mobile phones, but our landlines worked because they did not rely on electricity as they do now. We lived on the side of a hill and I can remember watching the town down in the valley, when one half of the people lost their lights as their power was cut and the other half were suddenly lit up as it was their turn to have electricity. Our hedges have