Leaked Papers Say Govt to Support GM

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Friday, 20 February 2004

The government is to go ahead with genetically modified crops despite what it acknowledges is considerable public resistance, leaked cabinet committee papers reveal.
The minutes of the discussion - which was held eight days ago and involved senior cabinet ministers including the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, and the environment secretary, Margaret Beckett - disclose the government's final decision to give the green light to the first crop of GM maize in Britain. An announcement is expected to be made to the House of Commons next week.
The papers make clear the government's recognition that public opinion in this country is generally resistant to GM crops. "The public was unlikely to be receptive," the discussion notes.
However, the government is equally clear in its view that any ban on the crops would be "the easy way out" and would be "an irrational way for the government to proceed" in the light of its desire to back and encourage UK science.
The leaked documents also reveal that the government has not yet given up hope of swinging the public round in favour of the crops. "Opposition might eventually be worn down by solid, authoritative scientific argument."
As part of this drive, the meeting decided that before Parliament was informed of the decision to press ahead with GM maize, supportive MPs would be encouraged to speak out. The papers say: "There was a merit in preparing the ground with key MPs, particularly those with an interest in science or food security in developing countries."
The government's chief scientist, David King, the chairman of the Food Standard's Agency, John Krebs, both in favour of GM, were at the committee meeting and agreed to make statements supporting the government on the day of the announcement. Other pro-GM scientists will be recruited to further forward the message.
Last year, the government attempted to test public attitudes with its national GM debate. It concluded that more than four out of five people were against GM crops and that just 2% would eat GM foods.
But a Mori poll for the University of East Anglia released yesterday said the debate vastly overestimated the level of public opposition to GM. The poll found that while 36% opposed GM food, 13% supported it and 39% had no strong feelings either way.
Source: www.soilassociation.org