Green light flickering for the UK's first GM crop

" GM crops to get go-ahead " The Guardian announced, above a page-one story based on papers leaked from a British cabinet committee. Yet the article itself, by environment correspondent Paul Brown, showed that the headline perpetuated a serious error that has bedevilled and fuelled discussion of genetically modified crops for several years. The government had apparently resolved to allow the sowing not of GM plants in general but of one particular variety, a herbicide-resistant maize. Recent field-scale trials (Curr. Biol. 2003, 13, R853) had shown that, in contrast to two other GM crops, its cultivation was likely to promote biodiversity. In other words, the UK government had adhered to a principle internationally agreed after intensive deliberation by expert committees at the very outset of genetic manipulation over a quarter of a century ago. GM organisms should not be adjudged as intrinsically dangerous — nor be absolved of all conceivable risk — as a category. They should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. These considerations did not stop virtually the entire UK media from following up The Guardian story with reports that the government had given a green light for GM in general. Several newspapers coupled their news coverage with editorials attacking Prime Minister Tony Blair for flying in the face of public opposition, just as he had done by joining the USA in going to war in Iraq. Taken together, the two decisions virtually signalled the death of democratic government in Britain. The Daily Mail led the claque. " This latest charade is breathtaking in its cynicism and a deeply depressing reflection of just how meaningless democracy has become, " said its editorial. " In thrall to President Bush and America's GM conglomerates, Mr Blair is ignoring potential threats to human health and the environment. " Commentator Geoffrey Lean claimed that " the US administration has close connections with Monsanto and Mediawatch: Following field-scale trials, a leaked report suggests the British government is set to back the first commercial planting of a genetically modified crop. Bernard Dixon reports on the press's explosive response. Out of the bag: Leaked papers from a British government cabinet meeting last month suggest approval is likely for the first commercial planting of a genetically modified crop in the country.