Blair will ignore public opposition to GM technology

Tony Blair has signalled that he is ready to ignore the public campaign against GM crops and to proceed with the technology. In language reminiscent of his pronouncements in the run-up to the Iraq war he said that his only interest was in trying "to do the right thing".

The Prime Minister's reaction, in the week after the results of the Government's own trials proved that growing at least two GM crops damaged wildlife, has amazed and angered senior officials. They are bewildered that his views seem to have remained unchanged even though a series of reports from his own advisers has progressively demolished the case for the technology.

In an exchange at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Blair appeared to take issue with the reports, which concluded that genes would inevitably escape from modified crops to create herbicide-resistant superweeds and contaminate organic and conventional produce, that the technology conferred no immediate economic advantages, and that the public rejected it by a majority of nine to one.

Asked by the Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George whether he accepted their conclusions, he acknowledged that the crops posed "problems" for wildlife, but added: "I know that there is a huge campaign against GM but, to be frank, the Government have no interest in the matter one way or the other, other than to try to do the right thing.

"The biotechnology in- dustry is a vital part of this country's industry. Many people believe that the science of genetics will be the most important science of the 21st century, and other countries are piling investment into this area. We must allow that science to be carried out."

Mr Blair's comments appear directly to contradict a report in July by his own Cabinet Office which concluded that it could find no economic benefit to Britain or its people from current modified crops.

Exasperated officials also point out that Mr Blair seems unable to distinguish between the biotechnology industry as a whole, which has immense potential in developing medicines and industrial products, and the relatively tiny proportion of it devoted to GM agriculture, which employs only about 1,150 people in Britain.

Senior officials say that Mr Blair's reponse shows he is still determined to press ahead with the technology despite massive public opposition.

Downing Street hopes that GM maize could be given the go-ahead, as the trials suggested it was less harmful than its conventional counterpart. But as The Independent on Sunday reported two weeks ago, the results would not apply to GM maize grown in Britain, where conventional maize was formerly treated by a now-banned herbicide.

Last night, Pete Riley of Friends of the Earth, said that Mr Blair's response on GM was "like the run-up to the Iraq war all over again". He added: "Once again he is professing caution and even-handedness, but failing to see the full picture, disregarding public opinion, and insisting that he must do what he himself believes to be right ... This blinkered approach will lead to disaster."