Friday, February 09, 2007

Bird Flu Pandemic Imminent!!!

Overheard on tonight's Any Questions on radio 4 - John Selwyn Gummer complimenting the government on their handling of the bird 'flu outbreak at a Bernard Matthews turkey farm, and reassuring the public that they cannot catch the disease from eating poultry. Just one small thought: wasn't he the Minister for Agriculture during the BSE episode who attempted to convince the 'meat-eating public' that beef was safe by stuffing a hamburger down his unsuspecting daughter's mouth in front of a hastily assembled TV crew? Shortly before infected beef was found to cause Kreutzfeld-Jakob disease in humans? I'm not suggesting we panic, but the signs are not looking good.

8 comments:

Boris said...

'tis worrisome when anyone in government says don't worry. That in itself usually makes me PANIC. I don't bother with stuff like factory produced turkey and the like and as for the Hungary connection, it just goes to show you should eat local food (unless you live in central London or some other megatroplois in which case you'd obvioulsy be up the creek if you tried that so just carry on are you are OK).

Anyway I hear Bernard Mattews is diversifying its business interests into duvets.

Liz Dwyer said...

Oh, that's not good at all. Did he really have his daughter eat a burger in front of the press? What a...actually, I don't even know what to call him.

The Moon Topples said...

Oh, you silly Brits with your pandemics and your deadly meat products.

Wait. What? Pandemic?!?

Please tell me the daughter didn't get sick just because her father was...whatever Liz decides to call him.

Ms Melancholy said...

Hi again Boris - the reasons to eat locally produced food are definitely becoming more compelling, aren't they? There is definitely some kind of pleasure to be taken in Bernard Matthews - home of turkey gristle products masquerading as food - becoming the first mass producer to get hit with bird flu. Not that I would wish unemployment on his staff, I hasten to add.

Liz, I know. It's an outrage really, isn't it, the depths that politicians will plumb for a photo opportunity and their capacity to put the interests of capital over the public interest. At the time it wasn't known that the disease could transfer to humans, but neither had the possible transfer to humans been completely discounted. As far as I understand his daughter remains fit and healthy, Mr Moon. Thank goodness for her.

swimmer6foot4 said...

Lest we forget ...

Here's a pic of Gummer and his poor daughter. He's showing the same political acumen as our current political leaders.

political truths

Unknown said...

If there wasn't a problem why was there such a huge fuss when the first outbreaks started in the East and started spreading west?

And to what lengths will people go to prove their point - poisoning their own children...

Boris is right - when anyone in govt says "don't panic" it's usually a really good time to start chucking one's toys!

Ms Melancholy said...

Mr Swimmer - thanks very much for the picture. Brings it all back...

Atyllah - I think the debate is about whether eating infected birds is dangerous...so far, unproven.

Hillary said...

This was lovely too read