'GM will never be grown in Britain'

Ministers are prepared for GM crops never to be grown commercially in Britain after the strain approved for cultivation was withdrawn last week by the company that developed it.

Ministers are prepared for GM crops never to be grown commercially in Britain after the strain approved for cultivation was withdrawn last week by the company that developed it.

They are determined not to compromise on strict conditions for growing the crops, which were behind the decision by Bayer CropScience not to proceed with the GM maize given a tentative go-ahead by the Government last month. Unless the controls are relaxed, Bayer says it will abandon the technology in Britain.

Environmentalists and politicians hailed Bayer's decision as the death of GM in Britain. They said that even if biotech companies did try to get new modified crops approved it would be "extremely difficult" to get government or public approval.

Bayer's decision marks victory for a five-year campaign by The Independent on Sunday, and a defeat for Tony Blair.