Plaid Cymru's Deputy Leader Jill Evans MEP has condemned the British government’s decision to fly in the face of public opinion and give the go-ahead to the commercial planting of genetically modified crops in the UK. Leaked Cabinet Office minutes show that the controversial decision is imminent with an announcement possibly as early as next week.
It is likely to declare that a single variety of GM maize can be grown on a large scale for the first time. Ministers will present the decision as a limited move, which does not affect other GM crops - but it will nevertheless spark a massive protest from environmental groups.
Ms Evans, a leading anti-GM campaigner, said that she was appalled by the revelations:
“As we have seen time and time again, this Labour government simply ignores what people believe. We in Plaid Cymru are stepping up our campaign to keep Wales GM free and that means preventing contamination from any other part of the UK.
“These revelations surfaced only hours after a specialist committee set up to advise the European Commission reached its decision to maintain the de facto moratorium on GMs.
“The British government seems determined to ignore massive public concern and succumb to pressure from companies like Monsanto despite the lack of any scientific proof of the supposed benefits of GMs. I do not believe that consumers in Wales or other parts of the UK will be easily fooled by the kind of government propaganda campaign which is apparently ready to be launched.”
Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales Ceredigion MP Simon Thomas, who is the party’s Director of Policy, said:
“It is astonishing that the government is considering licensing even one GM crop when it does not have a robust system of regulation governing co-existence and liability with conventional and organic crops in place. We already know from University of Glamorgan research that GM soya has "leaked" into organic and conventional foods sold in Wales.
“When I questioned her about this Margaret Beckett said this proved GM was already a reality. Now she is prepared to let GM maize loose in the environment in the UK when we don't know where the genes will end up and when the field scale trials were undertaken with a herbicide which is about to be banned.
“This is appalling decision-making and irresponsibility of the first order. The National Assembly Government could still stop this by refusing to give their consent for the listing of this GM seed. I urge Rhodri Morgan and Carwyn Jones hold firm, not just for Welsh agriculture but for the UK and Europe as a whole. It's time to reject corporate agri-business in favour of local markets and traceability. GM food holds little hope for a vigorous and sustainable farming sector in Wales."
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