Tories 'hypocritical' over May polls

Prescott and Ancram clash on Breakfast with Frost

The Conservatives have been accused of hypocrisy over their calls for May elections to be postponed because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott accused the Tories of playing politics saying the party had called a council by-election in Cumbria - one of the worst affected areas - on 19 April.

That is despite a call last week by Conservative leader William Hague for the government to introduce emergency legislation to delay local elections in areas ravaged by foot-and-mouth disease.

Prime Minister Tony Blair let slip before the weekend that he has just days to decide whether local elections and the general election can be called for 3 May.

On the one hand he's telling us straight 'Don't have elections" and he is calling them to take political advantage over the Liberals

John Prescott
Deputy Prime Minister

Mr Prescott said the decision to hold the council poll showed Tory calls for local elections to be delayed were hypocritical.

He added that the Tories had rejected a call from the Liberal Democrats for the poll to be held on the same day as other council elections.

Mr Prescott made his comments on BBC One's Breakfast with Frost programme on Sunday after Tory Party chairman Michael Ancram reiterated the call for emergency legislation.

Mr Prescott hit back saying: "On the one hand he's telling us straight 'Don't have elections" and he is calling them to take political advantage over the Liberals. It's hypocrisy."

But Mr Ancram said: "I have said right through this the elections will go ahead unless powers are taken to stop them."

'Stop playing politics'

He added: "We are just saying 'Stop playing politics, stop thinking about expediency and begin to understand there is a real crisis out there in the country which is actually affecting people's livelihoods.'"

Blair faces tough choice

But Mr Prescott stressed the government's priority was fighting foot-and-mouth disease.

A decision on the local elections did not need to be made now, he said.

The deputy prime minister pointed to the 1945 general election as an example of polls being held in crisis situations.

Judgment needed

He added: "At the end of the day a prime minister has to make a judgement but it is not solely about foot-and-mouth and party considerations and general elections.

"There are real economic problems and signals to the rest of the world whether it is completely broken down in Britain - I don't think for a moment that is so."

He did not agree with Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman Simon Hughes, who suggested the council polls could only be put back by one or two months.

Mr Hughes said there was a strong case for delaying the council elections, especially in the worst hit areas.

On the issue of a general election, he added: "If the prime minister goes ahead and holds an election, if there is an overwhelming view against it he will have to take personal responsibility for that and the Labour Party take personal responsibility for that."

Mr Prescott defended the government's handling of the crisis against Tory accusations that action had been too slow.