THE government has been well and truly backed into a no-win position over the French beef row.

Prime Minister Tony Blair was confident that, after his half time chat with his French counterpart Lionel Jospin during Saturday's Rugby World Cup final, the French were getting ready to accept British beef.

But Mr Blair should have known better. After all, he was dealing with the French, who are world beaters when it comes to wriggling off a hook.

They threw the British government into complete confusion when their consumer affairs minister, Marylise Lebranchu stepped from a Paris Cabinet meeting to calmly announce that more safeguards were needed before her country would lift the ban on British beef.

Now the British government has run out of options.

It looks as though it must resign itself to a court battle which could take up to two years to resolve.

With typical Gallic arrogance Marylise Lebranchu dismissed this development as "not very important."

Paris is also well aware that it is providing ammunition by the train load for Tory leader William Hague.

He used some of it yesterday in the House of Commons when he told Mr Blair that the French had responded to his offer of a third way by putting up two fingers.

But the French have also put up two fingers to the European Commission.

They have demonstrated once more that they are happy to abide by European laws, as long as it suits them.

But once they feel their ruthless self-interest is compromised, they don't want to know.

Mr Blair has insisted all along that the last thing this country wants is a trade war with France, even though the French sell us more than we sell them. However, as far as a large section of the British public is concerned, that trade war has started.

French wine, apples and cheese have already had the cold shoulder in many supermarkets and French fruit producers are squealing about mini mountains of apples and pears left on their hands.

It is clear that a lot of people in this country feel that the British Government has moved heaven and earth to accommodate the French and received nothing in return but humiliation and contemptuous insults.

They are not prepared to show the same tolerance as the government and are voting with their purses and wallets.

Mr Blair has turned on the Tories and accused them of whipping up antagonism to Europe.

They sound like the cries of a wounded beast - because if anyone is guilty of that it is the French.

And he should make sure the French are given no more propaganda material.

Several Labour-run councils in this country are still refusing to allow school meals services to serve British beef.

That ban must be lifted immediately.

The ban on beef on the bone must also be got rid of.

It make no sense at all - except on the other side of the English Channel.

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