THE British Prime Minister has set his government on a collision course with Europe, threatening to paralyse key European business unless rapid progress is made on lifting the worldwide ban on British beef exports.
In a dramatic Commons statement yesterday, Mr John Major said Britain would deploy its veto on any EU proposal requiring unanimity and would withdraw its general co operation until agreement was reached on lifting the ban.
Threatening to take the issue to the Florence Council at the end of next month, Mr Major declared: "There will not be co operation with Europe until our partners in Europe are prepared to sit down and co operate with us.".
The prime minister triggered potentially the biggest crisis between Britain and its European partners, as the Agriculture Secretary, Mr Douglas Hogg, prepared to report to MPs on Monday night's failure to secure partial end to the ban on beef derivatives.
Signalling his patience had run "out, Mr Major accused EU partners of "a breach of faith" and declared that, without progress on lifting the ban, "we cannot be expected to continue to co operate normally on other Community business."
The opposition parties said the policy of non co operation was indicative of the "nationalistic, chauvinistic" tendency driving Conservative policy on Europe. "But the prime minister's announcement thrilled the Conservative backbenches and was promptly endorsed, by the National Farmers' Union.
Mr Major vowed the crisis in Britain's beef industry would dominate all forthcoming discussions with European partners. To Tory cheers, he said: "This is not how I wish to do business with Europe, but I see no alternative. We cannot continue business as usual with Europe when we are faced with this clear disregard by some of our partners of reason, common sense and Britain's national interests."
Mr Major continued: "We continue to want to make progress through negotiation. But if this is not possible, we are bound to use the legal avenues open to us and the political means we have at our disposal."
The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, when asked last night if he was concerned about the British threat to withdraw EU co operation, said he was anxious that the BSE issue would be dealt with as quickly as possible "in a scientific way and a way that reassures consumers of the safety of food".
"Reassurance to consumers is, best delivered by concerted co operative action between politicians, scientists and consumer interests," Mr Bruton added. "It is not necessarily assisted by conflicts or high pitched rhetoric.
"As far as the Irish Presidency of the EU is concerned," he went on, "we will be working very co operatively and closely with the Commission to resolve this issue."