I SEE the Tories are once again trying to score points regarding the handling of the foot and mouth saga.

On Sunday, March 18, I bought a national newspaper. In it was a very good piece entitled 'The farmers ruined our countryside, now we have a chance to take it back', by David Cox, Forestry Chief.

Before foot and mouth, we had swine fever; before that, BSE, brought about by an industry which pollutes our water, abuses its animals, and engages in the wholesale destruction of our landscape, wildlife and archeological heritage. To survive, it finds it necessary to wreak havoc on the rest of us.

Yet, on its current scale, without the subsidies and privileges we bestow on it, we don't need to provide these any more. This country of ours is small and overcrowded, we should do better to buy most of our food from countries more suited to sheep runs and prairies than our own land.

As he said, we should enjoy our countryside and get back brambles, hawthorn, cornflower, dog-rose etc. And I agree with him. Why continue with this madness, pouring more and more money into something we no longer need here -- except if you are a farmer? Other industries went and were replaced and people re-employed. Let's sack it and get our food elsewhere. The election should go ahead as planned in May, regardless whether it suits Mr Hague and Co.

Ms P A Allen

Wellfield Road

Deane, Bolton