Hilary Benn, the Rural Affairs Secretary, was heckled by farmers for not ordering a cull of badgers to prevent bovine TB spreading to cattle.

Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers’ Union, accused successive Labour ministers, including Mr Benn, of prevaricating and becoming a “Nimtoo” — Not In My Term Of Office. The union is backing a call for an emergency cull of badgers in some areas to prevent the spread of the disease around the country.

One farmer challenged Mr Benn directly from the floor. “You’ve done bugger all in ten years. Stop waffling,” he said. Mr Benn insisted that he would make a decision. “It won’t be on someone else’s watch, it will be mine,” he said.

Last year 21,000 cattle tested positive for bovine TB on 9,000 farms. Ten years ago there were 3,000 cases on 1,500 farms.

Mr Benn, however, enraged farmers by emphasising that he had to take into account public acceptability of any policy. He said that his decision would be based on science, the impact of proposed measures on the disease, the practicality of the solution and public acceptability.

Mr Kendall said the disease could wipe out cattle in parts of Britain.

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