SIR: Douglas Hogg is one of the most spectacularly incompetent ministers in recent memory. He has done massive damage to our beef industry, harmed our relations with Europe, wasted £3.3 billion of taxpayer's money and still failed to end the crisis.
The diary of events is laughable: Late March, as the BSE crisis erupts, Hogg says he doesn't believe the government's announcement will have any effect on consumer confidence - great judgement!!! Then in April, Major declared a 'beef war' but immediately caves in and agrees to a selective cull. In June he announced that the beef ban will end by November. In September, after more swill from Mr Hogg, on the basis of new so-called 'scientific' evidence, the government pulls out of the Florence Agreement - only to back down again in December. And still there is no sign of the ban ending.
The BSE crisis epitomises this government - mismanagement, indecision, weakness and drift. With their pathetic shenanigans over BSE the Conservatives have failed Britain.
D Raby, The Close, Bolton
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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