Britain said today it was stepping up its livestock slaughter to try to stem a foot-and-mouth epidemic sweeping the country and threatening the government's plans for an election on May 3rd.
Agriculture Minister Mr Nick Brown said the killing could be intensified to include tens of thousands of animals which were previously thought to have had little contact with the disease that has now spread to 214 sites.
Mr Brown said he would set out government plans in a statement to the House of Commons tomorrow.
Mr Tony Blair's official spokesman said drastic new steps could be taken after vets called for the slaughter of any animals carried by two livestock dealers from the centre of the outbreak in north-east England.
He said the dealers had made more than 1,000 movements of sheep since the disease came to light, possibly involving 100,000 animals or more.
Chief veterinary officer Mr Jim Scudamore appealed to farmers who bought sheep from the dealers to contact authorities.
Over 130,000 cattle, sheep and pigs have already been slaughtered. Half a million sheep preparing to lamb are also trapped by the freeze on livestock movement, and Mr Brown has said that some may have to be culled.
Pressure is now mounting on Mr Blair to delay the general election. Many county council leaders say it would be wrong to allow an election campaign to start while vets struggle to control the disease and some rural areas remain off-limits.
Mr Blair's spokesman said the government had no idea when the crisis might subside but said there were no plans to change election dates.