A BOLTON MP last night defended the Government's decision to ban beef on the bone.

Dr Brian Iddon, Labour MP for Bolton South-east, is still a member of Bolton Council.

And at last night's full council meeting, he praised the Government's attempt to win back worldwide confidence in British beef.

Liberal Democrats had called on the Council to ask for the reversal of what they termed "ridiculous legislation."

But Dr Iddon said: "The message the Government has to get across is that British beef is now the safest in the world."

Labour Cllr Frank White launched a scathing attack on the previous Tory Government for its actions when the BSE scare first began in the 1980s. He said: "There was a hidden conspiracy of silence."

Tory and Labour councillors refused to back the Liberal Democrats' call for the Government to lift the ban.

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