Blair stands firm on elections

Farmers have seen whole herds destroyed

Prime Minister Tony Blair says local elections planned for 3 May will go ahead, despite the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

Mr Blair, speaking as the total number of cases rose to 435, rejected calls from opposition parties to delay the elections in worst-hit areas such as Cumbria and Devon - though he said he would listen to concerns.

He told the House of Commons that a delay in the local polls would damage the tourist industry, giving an impression to the outside world that Britain was "closed for business".

The 3 May date for local elections is widely believed to also be a favoured date for the General Election, yet to be called by Mr Blair.

It is not a time for politicians to be talking about our livelihoods in terms of elections when other people are seeing their livelihoods literally going down the tubes

Charles Kennedy

Mr Blair said he understood the argument for postponing the local elections.

"As long as you realise there are also voices on the other side - particularly from the tourist industry - who say 'don't send a message to the outside world that we are in some state of quarantine or the country is closed for business'," he told the BBC.

As the number of outbreaks continues to rise in the UK, the Dutch agricultural ministry has confirmed that two outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have been found in the east of the country.

It is the second country in mainland Europe to be hit by the disease - two weeks ago a single case was found in north-western France.

Mr Blair is facing calls from opposition leaders to put the crisis before the elections.

Balance

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said: "It is not a time for politicians to be talking about our livelihoods in terms of elections when other people are seeing their livelihoods literally going down the tubes, hour by hour, day by day."

Tory leader William Hague said a huge range of people, "from the Liberal Democrat leader of Devon County Council, through to the Cumbrian Tourist Board and Labour MPs" had raised questions about whether local elections in certain areas should proceed.

Livestock movement restrictions have been in force since foot-and-mouth was first identified in pigs at an abattoir in Essex.

Crisis continues

434 confirmed cases - 40 on Wednesday

272,824 animals slaughtered

130, 636 awaiting slaughter

193,284 carcases destroyed

Many farmers remain confined to their property for fear of spreading or picking up the disease and disinfectant mats are being used at farm entrances, country lanes and main roads in affected regions.

Some public rights of way, footpaths and national parks have been closed to local people and visitors.

Mr Blair said he would listen to the opposition's arguments, but insisted it was a matter of balancing the issues for the whole of the country.

He said half a million animals would normally be slaughtered each week, compared to the 400,000 being killed because of the foot-and-mouth disease.

He said it was also important to consider the impact of cancelling the elections on the tourist industry and businesses in the rural countryside.

"What they need... is people going about their business, in so far as is possible, as normal, and making sure we send out the message that Britain is not in a state of quarantine."

Promoting tourism

Mr Blair's concern for the tourist industry was backed by a £10m cash injection to help promote the country overseas and make clearer the true extent and impact of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

Army soldiers are starting to help with practical tasks

The funding, which adds to £35m already allocated annually to the British Tourist Authority for promoting Britain abroad, is designed to stem the losses to the industry estimated to be running at about £100m a week since the outbreaks started.

Mr Blair said £80m of compensation had already been paid out to farmers whose livestock have been slaughtered.

Earlier on Wednesday Agriculture Minister Nick Brown denied reports that his department knew that foot-and-mouth disease was in Britain before it was officially announced.

Mr Brown said media rumours suggesting that this was the case were simply "urban myths".