15.06.2003 |

Background: The official GM debate in Great Britain

On June 3rd a nationwide debate on the use of GM crops in agriculture has been officially launched by the UK government, which is set to continue throughout June and July and will be concluded by a governments decision whether to go ahead with the commercial planting of GMOs in the UK in September. Civil society organisations have dubbed the debate as a biast exercise of Tony Blair, who they think has long made his decision. So far the discussion has not become a major issue within the UK. The man who kicked off the debate on June 3rd, Environment minister Michael Meacher, appears to be the first victim of the debate. He was sacked by Blair on June 13. Meacher was known for his cautious approach to the issue.Here is a selection of web-sites covering the GM debate in Great Britain:<a href="http://www.gmpublicdebate.org.uk/">GM Nation - official debate site</a></p><p><a href="http://www.strategy.gov.uk/2002/gm/summ.shtml">Blairs cabinet debate site</a></p><p><a href="http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/debate/index.htm">Dep. of Environment, Forestry, Agriculture debate site</a></p><p><a href="http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/gmplants/">The Royal Society debate site</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/real_food/">Friends of the Earth real food campaign</a></p><p><a href="http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/contentlookup.cfm?ucidparam=20030514113331&MenuPoint=D-I&CFID=142412&CFTOKEN=39743866">Greenpeace debate site</a></p><p><a href="http://www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/saweb.nsf/cfff6730b881e40e80256a6a002a765c/62b3b08dfb6cdaea80256a9500473789!OpenDocument">Soil Association (organic farmers and consumers)</a>