A farmer's leader from Ryedale claimed today that a May General Election would be "totally wrong" - with many rural people unable to vote.

Derek Watson, chairman of the York County branch of the National Farmner's Union, spoke out as a leading disease expert warned that the foot-and-mouth crisis may peak in early May.

Mr Watson, who farms at West Knapton, near Malton, said: "It would be totally wrong to hold it (on May 3).

"I think it would be very difficult and logistically hard for rural people to vote.

"Anybody with compassion would have put the election back."

Ryedale MP John Greenway said he believed the public would not look favourably on an election being called during a national emergency. But he stopped short of calling for a postponement.

"People will find it strange for the Government to hold a General Election at a time of national emergency," he said.

"It's for him to call it. We think there is a case for postponing the local elections in areas where there is a serious problem.

"But I couldn't stress too strongly that the whole political machine in London has been expecting a May election for a long time and is gearing up for it."

He said it was widely believed the decision had been taken, and an announcement would be made next week.

But York's Labour MP, Hugh Bayley, who was meeting the Prime Minister at Downing Street today, said he genuinely believed Tony Blair had not yet made up his mind. And he stressed that the decision to go ahead with local elections in May was the right one.

Mr Bayley, one of a number of junior Ministers meeting the Prime Minister today, could not say whether the date of the election would be discussed.

"The decision on whether to hold a General Election must depend upon whether the foot and mouth problem gets worse or gets better," he said.

"I know that the Prime Minister is watching the situation very carefully but has not yet made a decision.

"It's a very serious situation, but it affects less than one per cent of farms at the moment."

Professor Roy Anderson, the epidemiologist called in by MAFF to prepare projections of the likely pattern of disease, said that a peak in early May was the "best case" scenario.

His projections show that the outbreak will not be eliminated until at least August.

Updated: 12:28 Thursday, March 22, 2001