DATE=03/15/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BRITAIN / HOOF AND MOUTH (L-O)

NUMBER=2-273764

BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN

DATELINE=LONDON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

///// DROPS "BECAUSE" IN INTRO OF CR2-273751. /////

INTRO: Britain is planning to slaughter more than 200-thousand healthy sheep that may have been in contact with animals infected with hoof-and-mouth disease, which continues to spread. Correspondent Laurie Kassman reports from London that farmers and politicians are calling for the Prime Minister to postpone May elections.

TEXT: Agriculture Minister Nick Brown told parliament that 205-thousand sheep have been targeted for slaughter in an attempt to stop the spread of hoof-and-mouth disease. But he is easing travel restrictions in areas free of infection.

///BROWN ACT ///

This is a policy of safety first. We are intensifying the slaughter of animals at risk in the areas of the country - thankfully still limited - where the disease has spread. Then, provided the other areas remain disease-free, we can over the next 10-days consider modifying restrictions in areas that have remained clear.

/// END ACT ///

Private aid is starting to arrive for distraught farmers. Prince Charles has donated 750-thousand dollars to six charities helping farmers get through the crisis.

/// CHARLES ACT ///

It will help these hard-pressed charities to provide more assistance so they can fall back on something when things get really difficult.

/// END ACT ///

/// OPT /// Another wealthy British aristocrat has matched the offer. But the new show of support was not in time to prevent a suicide in Wales that has been linked to the crisis. /// END OPT ///

British farmers and some politicians now are calling for the government to postpone rural elections scheduled for May third. Prime Minister Tony Blair was expected to call general elections for the same day.

Mr. Blair's spokesman says postponing the election would send a false message of panic.

Ben Gill, who heads the National Farmers Union, says rural travel restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of hoof and mouth would limit the ability of voters and politicians to participate in a ballot.

/// GILL ACT // OPT ACT ///

To have a general election you have to have the ability to campaign and go around and have meetings and farmers in the rural areas should not be exempted from that ability. It is therefore unthinkable in my mind and impossible in reality to have a general election where you could not have proper campaigns in the countryside.

/// END ACT // END OPT ACT ///

But political pollster Bob Worcester says the rural vote accounts for less than 20-percent of the Labor Party's tradition support and is not all that important for a victory.

/// WORCESTER ACT // OPT ACT ///

If you are wondering why Labor does not seem to be too concerned about the rural vote, it is because there are only 86-seats in the constituencies, in which there are as many as 25-percent living in rural areas. Of the 86-seats, 56 are held by the Tories, 20 are held by the Liberal Democrats, and only 10 are held by labor. When you have a majority of 179, you do not lose a lot of sleep over 10-seats that might be at risk from a rural vote.

/// END ACT // END OPT ///

The Labor Party holds a comfortable 20-point lead in the opinion polls. But, political analysts say Mr. Blair's decision on an election date must take into account public opinion if he wants to avoid the image of an insensitive government and provoke a voter backlash. (SIGNED)

NEB/LMK/GE/RAE