CASH-strapped farmers in Worcestershire and Herefordshire should be paid compensation by the French Government after it illegally stopped beef imports, claims MP Paul Keetch.

The Hereford MP said farmers who had been affected by the ban, which was found to be illegal by the Court of Justice, the highest court in the EU, should be compensated for lost business during the country's two-year veto.

The Liberal Democrat added the French Government should be "heavily punished" for refusing British beef because of fears of BSE. In 1995, beef exports to France was worth £241m.

"The French Government was breaking EU rules and they knew it," he said.

Safest

"France has had far more BSE than it owns up to and it knows that British beef is some of the safest in the world.

''The French Government have deliberately closed their market to our farmers and they deserve to be heavily punished for their illegal action."

But he added British farmers had an "enormous job" re-establishing the French market and called for the UK's Government and the European Union to help.

"We have an enormous job to establish the market again in France, but I am sure that British farmers are up to the task," he added.

"But they will need substantial support which the Government must give. The EU also needs to sharpen up its act as it's ridiculous that it took two years for this judgement to be made.

"It's no wonder that EU institutions are held in such disdain by British voters when justice seems to take so long. This must not be allowed to happen again."