SUCH is the wild fever surrounding the foot-and-mouth epidemic, the Government is increasingly finding itself damned if it does something and damned if it doesn't.

It is true that much of this is down to its failure to respond rapidly enough in the beginning and its ability to send out messages which appear to be contradictory.

The definition of what will be included in the mass slaughter seems to change by the day, and the Army has been hovering in the wings for weeks but has only just been given the permission to assist. Huge adverts appear in newspapers urging people to return to the countryside to bolster the tourism industry but when you get there you find the area doused in disinfectant - a clear sign that you are not really welcome.

Agriculture Minister Nick Brown did himself no favours by yesterday asking his officials to compile a report into the convictions of Alan and Kenneth Clement for keeping untreated pig swill on their farm at Roddymoor, Crook. Because of the Clements' close connection with the farm believed to be the source of the outbreak at Heddon-on-the-Wall, the case received due prominence when it was heard 12 days ago. If it warrants further investigation today, Mr Brown should have been aware of it 12 days ago. However, one suspects he was bounced into the investigation by Sky television which has belatedly latched onto the case. This would appear, then, to be a waste of officials' valuable time at the height of the crisis.

William Hague is also doing himself no favours, bouncing around demanding a "crisis Cabinet" be set up and public plans for a vaccination strategy be announced.

At the start of the crisis, Mr Hague made measured contributions about the deployment of the Army and the use of student vets. But what worth "crisis Cabinet" meetings if they keep ministers and officials in London? Wouldn't the criticism be then that they are out-of-touch with the country and bogged down with paperwork in the metropolis?

Now, with the scent of an election in his nostrils, Mr Hague feels he needs to keep one step ahead of the Government to prove his credentials.

Even farmers, though, are struggling for consistency. When the mass slaughter programme was announced a week ago, they threatened to barricade themselves on their land to fight off the slaughtermen. A few days later, they were criticising the Government for not slaughtering quickly enough and then yesterday, as vehicles carrying dead animals arrived at the mass grave in Cumbria before the Army had finished digging, there was criticism that it was all being done too quickly.

Reasoned criticism of the Government's handling is justified and useful; ill-thought accusations are not.

But it will be fascinating to see how Mr Blair resolves his big personal dilemma: to call an election or wait? A poll yesterday said 40 per cent are against the election but 42 per cent want it to go ahead - a clear case of damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.