BSE crisis: Ex-ministers accused of 'public betrayal'

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BSE crisis: Ex-ministers accused of 'public betrayal'

 

Senior politicians are being accused of a " public betrayal " over their handling

of the BSE crisis.

 

The long-awaited report will criticise politicians including former Tory

Agriculture minister John Gummer, who famously tried to feed his daughter a

burger to quell public fears at the height of the scare.

 

The report by inquiry chairman Lord Justice Phillips will claim Mr Gummer, other

senior ministers and leading civil servants failed to heed scientists' warnings

about the threat of BSE. He will say they did not act quickly enough to alert

consumers when evidence started to emerge that humans were being infected.

 

One government source told The Times: " This is the core criticism that involves

everyone from the Cabinet down. It is clear he (Lord Phillips) regards it as an

act of public betrayal. "

 

The 16-volume report follows a £27 million inquiry which has spanned the past

two and a half years. It also focuses on government failures to enforce abattoir

(slaughterhouse) controls which were designed to ensure that any potentially

BSE-infected beef was removed from the food chain.

 

The Government is expected to announce a multi-million pound care and

compensation package for victims and their families later today when Agriculture

minister Nick Brown makes a Commons' statement on the report.

 

Harrowing video footage of the suffering of a teenage victim of the human form

of mad cow disease was sent to the Prime Minister as part of a cry for help from

despairing families.

 

After watching the 10-minute home video of Donnamarie McGivern lying limp and

motionless in her home in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, with tubes attached to her

body, Tony Blair said no one who saw it could fail to be moved. The video was

shown in private to Lord Phillips who was emotionally affected by what she saw.

 

Further underlining the human tragedy is the case of Helen Jeffries, from Wigan,

Greater Manchester, dying of vCJD who allowed cameras into her home to film her

stricken 14-year-old daughter, Zoe. Images of her suffering were broadcast on

Channel 4 on the eve of the report's publication.

 

A consumer group is warning that there are still " uncertainties " over controls

aimed at preventing transmission of the infection to humans. The Consumers'

Association says the crisis is still not over and says there are doubts that

safety controls are adequate.

 

Sheila McKechnie, director of the CA, said still a lack of freedom of

information on the issue of BSE and vCJD: " The crisis is by no means over. "

 

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It's a great time to be a vegan!

Peace,

Bliss

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It's a great time to be a vegan!

Peace,Bliss

--

 

Amen to that!

 

Deborah