WITH the EU insisting on its worldwide ban on British beef and public confidence in free-fall, the government had no option today other than to do a U-turn and commence the slaughter of thousands of cattle in a bid to beat Mad Cow disease.

The next question is how many beasts must die before the scare begins to die and the damage done begins to mend.

But the government is right to have listened and to be seen to be doing something at last - rather than railing at the public for its madness and blasting the scaremongers. For it defeated itself long ago in the fight for the public's trust.

And for that it will pay a price.

For necessary as this U-turn is, it is also a confirmation of what the public has suspected of the government thus far - that it was prepared to risk the nation's health by taking minimum measures against Mad Cow disease.

Yet, though it may now be doing far more than that - and may have yet to do even more still - it is unlikely to be forgiven for the outlook and the bungling that went before.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.