Blair blames stores for shut abattoirs

2 March 2001



Blair blames stores for shut abattoirs

By FWi staff

TONY BLAIR has blamed big retailers for the demise of small abattoirs, which has been linked to the spread of foot-and-mouth.

Speaking at Hartpury College, near Gloucester, Mr Blair said supermarkets “have a big role to play for that” by insisting meat goes to centralised abattoirs.

Thirty-two cases of the disease have been confirmed ranging from Dumfries-shire to Devon and Essex to South Armagh.

In a strong attack, the Prime Minister also accused supermarkets of putting farmers in an “armlock” in which buying has become an “unequal partnership”.

Mr Blair said he was looking at ways to lighten regulations on abattoirs and promised and an announcement soon, reports the Financial Times.

The newspaper says Mr Blairs comments will infuriate supermarket bosses, cleared of excessive profit-making by the Competition Commission last year.

The Times believes Mr Blairs sympathetic speech heralds a new deal for farmers.

Meanwhile, The Daily Telegraph reports that ministers were warned 10 months ago that foot-and-mouth could be brought into the country from Africa.

Warnings were given in May that airline passengers from Nigeria and Ghana were bringing in potentially infected meat, including deer and monkey.

Agriculture minister Nick Brown has come under pressure from the Conservatives to explain why he did not respond to this warning.

Prince Charles predicted the foot-and-mouth crisis a year ago, reports the Daily Express .

It says the Prince warned that the closure of small abattoirs would have severe consequences for animal welfare.

Repercussions of the foot-and-mouth crisis have extended as far as Wall Street, reports the Financial Times.

Analysts have cut the ratings of agricultural machinery makers John Deere because increasing slaughter rates in Europe will hit farm incomes.

The Daily Telegraph reports that the Bill to ban foxhunting will be discussed by the House of Lords on March 12.

Some commentators thought the bill might have been shelved because of the foot-and-mouth epidemic.