High Court challenge abandoned

2 April 2001



High Court challenge abandoned

By FWi staff

A HIGH Court challenge against the governments cull of thousands of healthy livestock to control foot-and-mouth disease has been abandoned.

A Judicial Review, brought by Berkshire organic farmer Peter Kindersley, was due to begin at the High Court in London on Monday (2 April).

But a spokesman for Mr Kindersley said the action had been withdrawn.

We did not want to put MAFF into a difficult situation. We did not want to stop the cull, which is an essential part of controlling the disease, she said.

Mr Kindersley, who has been a vocal critic of the cull, said: There are a number of factors involved and we will release a statement shortly.

Mr Kindersley said the statement would be published on his Sheepdrove Organic Farm website on Monday (2 April).

Asked whether the Ministry of Agriculture had put pressure on him to abandon the case, he added: No, not to my knowledge.