Clocks go back an hour from this Sunday For those battling with this week's dose of heavy rainfall and gusty winds, British Summer Time will have felt like a long time ago. But the curtain will officially fall on BST this weekend when the clocks go back an hour on Sunday. Debating the effects of turning the clocks back has been a British pastime for more than a century, when the first Daylight Saving Bill was brought before the House of Commons. During the Second World War the Government moved the clocks forward one hour to help munitions factories maximise productivity and allow people to get home safely before the blackout. Between 1968 and 1971 the Government carried out the same experiment but was forced to end it after complaints in Scotland and northern England. Plans have also been mooted to move to Central European Time - something that would mean lighter winter evenings, which supporters claim would cut road deaths, boost tourism and reduce energy use. But the proposals have faced opposition from many in Scotland who do not relish the prospect of an extra hour of darkness in the morning. Clocks should be put back 60 minutes at 2am on Sunday as the UK reverts to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).