BSE scientist stands against Nick Brown
A scientist, who has criticised successive Governments' mishandling of the BSE and foot-and-mouth epidemics, is standing this week as an independent candidate in Newcastle East and Wallsend against its current MP, Agriculture Minister Nick Brown.
Dr Harash Narang, the former Government virologist who first made the link between BSE in cattle and CJD in humans, is campaigning against "cover-up, sleaze and incompetence" in government. He is calling for a freedom of information act and greater accountability among politicians and civil servants.
Narang, who has lived in Newcastle for 30 years, claimed he was the victim of a Government cover-up when his work on BSE and CJD at the Public Health Laboratories Service was suppressed and he lost his job.
He believes he can halt the spread of BSE and CJD by using a live urine test that he says officials continue to ignore. He recommends using a safe vaccine to tackle foot-and-mouth, which he believes was caused by ministry trials of a live vaccine. Narang says the billions saved should be used to abolish student loans and improve health care and pensions.
Narang has also condemned the "crazy" slaughter-and-burn policy, which many fear has polluted the environment with dangerous dioxins and BSE.
