GM row roars on in the papers
22 February 1999
GM row roars on in the papers
By FWi staff
THE debate over genetically modified (GM) crops wins space in most of the papers again today (Monday).
The newspaper says that Maarten Chrispeels, Professor of Biology at the University of California in San Diego, now views claims made by Arpad Pusztai as “extraordinary”. The newspaper also says that GM crops could be banned north of the border as Scottish politicians put the new Edinburgh parliament on a collision course with London. The paper says that the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives have pledged to work together to impose a moratorium on commercial production of GM crops until they are proven to be safe. The Daily Telegraph reports on claims that the Prince of Wales has been asked to withdraw material from his website critical of GM crops. The Prince, who says on the website he will not eat GM foods, supports better labelling of GM foods to ensure that consumers can avoid them if they wish. The Telegraph says both Buckingham Palace and Downing Street have denied suggestions that the government asked for this material to be removed. Meanwhile, an analysis piece in Two academics writing in the paper argue that Europe should turn its back on the present policy of allowing life forms to be patented. Public research should also be organised to block the interests of private companies, the academics argue. They call for “economic warfare” and the “plundering of genetic resources” to be replaced with international co-operation and peace.
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