Fury over GM crops

The go-ahead for the first commercial genetically-modified crop brought angry protests today.

Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett finally confirmed the long-delayed and heavily-leaked decision to allow GM maize to be grown for cattle fodder from spring next year.

Her announcement was greeted by widespread fury from Labour MPs and organic farmers, and by threats of organised crop sabotage by green groups. The maize - known as Chardon LL - is one of four crops studied in official trials which were themselves criticised by a Commons committee as flawed.

Mrs Beckett admitted there were still gaps in the scientific understanding of GM but she insisted to MPs that the new science "does not pose a greater risk to health or the environment than its conventional counterparts". She immediately faced fierce criticism, led by former Labour environment minister Michael Meacher. He accused the Government of caving in to pressure from giant corporations and the White House. "This is the wrong decision," he told the Commons. "It is not supported clearly by the science, it continues to be strongly opposed by public opinion which the Government says it wants to listen to.

"It is not driven by any public interest need but by the commercial interests of the big bio-companies and, presumably, by the White House."

Environment groups said it was a historic decision which would be "irreversible" even if shown later to be a disaster.

Friends of the Earth vowed to appeal, but the more direct threat came from protesters said to have signed the "Green Gloves Pledge" to fight each crop field by field.

Mrs Beckett told the Commons the Government's top priority was to protect human health and the environment.

But she went on: "People say they want to choose between GM and non-GM. We will provide genuine choice for consumers and farmers."

Ministers at last week's Cabinet meeting vowed not to be swayed by public protest, saying it was vital the decision should be taken on strict scientific-grounds. But the acute state of nerves in the Government was clear as Ms Beckett announced a list of safeguards and other concessions.

She said the Government would oppose EU approval for commercial cultivation of GM beet or oilseed rape. And she said the go-ahead for Chardon LL would only be confirmed if concerns over the use of insecticides under EU rules were met.

For the Conservatives, agriculture spokesman John Whittingdaleaccused Mrs Beckett of riding roughshod over critics of GM crops. He said the trials should have been longer to investigate alleged flaws, and pointed out the Cabinet go-ahead for GM maize was given a day before the highly critical report from the Commons committee which investigated the official trials.

But scientists welcomed the announcement. Professor Julia Goodfellow, chief executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, said: "GM technology has great potential benefits for both the public and producers."

The British Medical Association abandoned its traditional caution towards the controversial crops, with senior members saying there was "very little potential" that genetically modified foods would endanger public health.

They claimed the foods had "enormous potential" to benefit the world. In a report published today, following months of work by the BMA's board of science, they call for an end to the "hysteria" over the subject.