Gill slams French markets in UK towns

20 June 2000



Gill slams ‘French’ markets in UK towns

By FWi staff

IT is “indefensible” to promote French markets in Britain while France maintains an illegal ban on British beef, claims National Farmers Union president Ben Gill.

Following complaints from NFU members, Mr Gill has complained to Gordon Keymer, chairman of the Local Government Associations (LGA) rural commission.

But the LGA, which lobbies on behalf of local authorities but does not have direct authority over them, insists this is a matter for individual councils.

Mr Gill said: “In normal circumstances I would have no desire to interfere in decisions taken by local authorities on such matters, but I have to say that for many people in rural communities this kind of promotion is highly insensitive.

“At a time when the French authorities are maintaining their ban on British beef illegally and without any scientific justification, it is indefensible for local governments to be encouraging the purchase of French goods.”

Mr Gill has asked Mr Keymer to take the matter up with the appropriate local authority bodies.

An LGA spokeswoman said it was up to individual local authorities to decide whether or not to promote French markets.

She added that local authorities up and down the country were involved in promoting more than 200 farmers markets.

The EU banned British beef ban in 1996 after scientists established a link between BSE, then ravaging British cattle, and fatal human brain condition new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

The ban was lifted last year, but France still refused to accept British beef on health grounds.

Legal action against France is currently proceeding through the European Court in Luxembourg.

The NFU believes France should not take up the EU Presidency in July while maintaining the illegal ban on British beef.