England is ‘jumping the gun' on lifting beef ban

The call for the beef-on-the-bone ban to be lifted has been labelled political gamesmanship by politicians and restaurateurs in Scotland and Wales.

Critics say that the English move breaks an agreement that any decision on lifting the ban would be left until after research from Oxford University is published in November.

Scottish restaurateur Jim Sutherland, who is being prosecuted for serving beef on the bone, said agriculture minister Nick Brown's announcement that England wanted to lift the ban but was not doing so because the other home countries didnot agree, was a political move designed to ensure he "came out of this whole political debacle with some credit".

The Ministry of Agriculture denied that it was breaking any agreement and said that although Brown could end the ban unilaterally in England,he was seeking a UK-wide approach.

A spokesman for the ministry denied that England was "jumping ship". He said the call for the ban to be lifted was based on advice received from English chief medical officer Liam Donaldson, who had been "comfortable" with what he had already seen of the Oxford research.

A spokesman for the Scottish Office said that, as far as the Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh chief medical officers were concerned, the situation remained unchanged and they continued to await the publication of the Oxford research.

Ieuan Wyn Jones, Plaid Cymru assembly member and chairman of its agriculture committee, agreed that Brown was "playing politics".

He found it "surprising" that Brown had announced his chief medical officer's advice without seeing the final evidence, and "remarkable" that he had disclosed disagreements instead of waiting to make a joint statement.

Alasdair Morgan, SNP shadow cabinet minister for rural affairs in Scotland, who supports an immediate UK-wide end to the ban, described the wrangle as "downright stupid". by Angela Frewin