The prime minister will this weekend make a final decision about the timing of the general election.

On Friday, Downing Street gave an indication that the general election may go ahead on May 3 despite the continued foot and mouth outbreak. Number 10 said the decision would be determined by "what is right for the country".

Responding to calls from the country's second most senior bishop for election plans to be shelved, a Downing Street spokesman said that the prime minister would listen to representations but re-iterated concerns about the impact any decision would have on tourism.

"The only decision that has been taken is that the local elections will be going ahead," said the official.

It is widely expected that if the local elections go ahead, the prime minister will also hold a general election.

The prime minister was on Friday in Dumfries and Galloway to meet farmers, officials and the army personnel involved to trying to bring the disease under control.

Many, however, believe the prime minister should delay the election. In an interview, the Archbishop of York repeated his call for Blair to delay holding the general election until after the foot and mouth crisis is over.

The Right Reverend David Hope said Blair should give "serious consideration" to waiting until the outbreak was over, saying May "was not the most opportune time".

"There is clearly a very strong feeling in the farming community that there should not be an election at the moment," he said.

England's second most senior bishop said that to delay the poll "would not send out the wrong message that Britain was closed for business".

He explained he had been moved by the "desperation, despair and hopelessness" he had encountered among his parishioners who had been affected by the outbreak.

"Clearly one has to respect the prime minister's decision but he should give serious consideration to delaying the election," he said.

The bishop said the outbreak had forced the country to "stop and think about the issues of life and living".

However, it has also been reported that the Bishops of Durham and Oxford have called for the election to go ahead.

Should Blair stick to May 3, it has been claimed that the chancellor, Gordon Brown, will fight the opening phase of an election campaign so the prime minister can focus on fighting foot and mouth.

Margaret Beckett, leader of the House of Commons, was on Thursday repeatedly pressed over the issue of local elections in May. Perhaps indicating the government's view to a general election on the same date she said that cancelling the elections "would give a very strong and very negative signal".

Blair will finally make up his mind about the timing of the general election on Sunday and is still expected by many to announce a May 3 election on Monday.

If, however, Blair believes that he will not be able to say with assurance that he can focus on the election because of on-going foot and mouth problems, it is likely that polling day is delayed until June 7 at the earliest.