Conservative leader David Cameron said he would sanction a cull, if the Tories win the General Election.

Speaking during a visit to the Royal Bath and West show yesterday (Wednesday, May 27), he said every farmer he had spoken to had asked what he planned to do about the disease.

Mr Cameron had previously refrained from supporting to a badger cull when questioned on the subject but his comments at the show reflect a hardening of Tory policy on tackling bTB.

His comments followed a statement by his Shadow Defra Secretary Nick Herbert last week, in which Mr Herbert stressed the Party's commitment to a ‘targeted badger cull'.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has also stated his Party's support for a ‘pilot badger cull' during a visit to the South West.

Speaking to farmers at an event organised by the Western Morning News, Mr Clegg said it ‘beggars belief' that it has taken Government ‘10 years to still not take a decision'.

“I think now the time has come that, irrespective of what scientists say, irrespective of what ministers say, in this part of the country, let's at least just try out a pilot cull,” he said.

Mr Clegg, who had also previously failed to support a badger cull, stressed that he did ‘not say that lightly' because he was aware that many people were ‘implacably opposed' to a cull.

The comments put the spotlight back on Defra Secretary Hilary Benn over his refusal to sanction a badger cull.