SO - not much change in our neck of the woods. While footpaths across most of Britain were reopened by Government decree last weekend, large areas of the North-East's premier national parks, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors, still remain firmly off limits to walkers.

Though not one of the 3,323 foot-and-mouth cases so far can be put down to a walker, and indeed there is no proven case anywhere of foot-and-mouth being spread by walking, I can well understand the desire of farmers in or near foot-and-mouth areas not to have walkers crossing their land. I wouldn't want them either. Better to err on the side of caution.

And, as a walker, I wouldn't wish to impose the slightest risk on farmers who, after all, create and care for the countryside I enjoy.

But hey, what's this? Except immediately round infected farms, grouse shooting will be begin as usual on the Glorious 12th, even in areas where footpaths remain closed. One moor owner, George Winn-Darley, whose estate in the North York Moors lies not far over the moor top from outbreaks in Fryupdale and around Lealholm, declares: "It is great news that we can go ahead because it brings thousands of pounds into the region each week and creates a lot of local employment."

Not as much, I'll wager, as the year-round tourist trade, especially walking, which has been decimated by foot-and-mouth.

Of course the nature of grouse shooting, in which parties are ferried round the moors and walk generally short distances to the butts, allows tight bio-security to be applied. The shooters can be disinfected at every stop, but walkers, once on the hills, might go anywhere.

Even so you would expect, would you not, the grouse shooting fraternity to share the same wish not to cause risk that has underpinned the support of ramblers for the footpath closures over the last five months? You would think "the guns" would forego their pleasure, as have cricketers, show-folk and many others in rural Britain as a gesture of support for the beleaguered farmers.

Strangest and saddest is that the green light for grouse shooting, given by the Government, hasn't attracted the hostile comment from the rural community that has greeted the re-opening of paths. That's because ramblers are perceived as "townies", whom it is best to keep out of the countryside as long as possible, while the grouse shooters, even if most moil and toil in commerce and industry, "understand the countryside". Utter piffle, of course, but not the least unpleasant aspect of the foot and mouth episode is the prejudice it has exposed among not a few country folk against those branded as "townies".

Doubtless one reason why the Government is refusing to hold a public inquiry into the foot-and-mouth outbreak is a determination to conceal the mountain of mis-information and dis-information put out to keep public opinion behind the disastrous cull.

DEFEATED in his bid for the Tory leadership, Michael Portillo announces his intention, while remaining an MP, to "look for other things to do". He already collects an annual £10,000 as an adviser to an American oil company. His leadership rival Ken Clarke is deputy chairman of British American Tobacco. William Hague, the outgoing leader, says he might look for business opportunities.

The clear inference is that MPs do not have sufficient work. And yet these guys have just voted themselves a £4,000 pay rise, plus an extra £10,000 on their staff allowance, and a completely new expenses allowance of up to £14,000.

Published: 25/07/2001