Gwyther faces second confidence vote
12 May 2000
Gwyther faces second confidence vote
By FWi staff
WELSH Assembly Conservatives have tabled a motion of no confidence against agriculture secretary Christine Gwyther.
This follows the planting of genetically modified seeds on land in Flintshire on Wednesday (09 May) despite opposition from the assembly.
Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne has written to the leaders of the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru to seek their support.
He accuses Ms Gwyther of failing to act to create a GM-free environment in Wales.
Mr Bourne said her past record in the job was “at best ineffective”, but more often than not “plain damaging for Welsh agriculture”, reports BBC Online.
Other parties have been asked to join the action, but it is reported that Plaid Cymru will not be supporting the censure motion.
Ms Gwyther – who has voiced support for a GM-free Wales – confirmed that neither she nor the UK government were able to halt the trial, says the BBC.
Ms Gwyther survived a similar censure threat over a calf subsidy scheme last October.
Meanwhile, Friends of the Earth Cymru says a cross-party group of Welsh Assembly members have put forward a motion which would see Wales taking its first steps towards becoming GM-free.
The motion states that the assembly will not permit GM crop releases in the Welsh environment unless it can be satisfied that to do so would be safe.
The group is now calling on the assemblys business secretary, Andrew Davies, to give the full assembly an opportunity to discuss the motion as a matter of urgency.
- Anger as GM site is drilled, FWi, 11 May, 2000
- GM trial marred by border skirmish, FWi, 09 May, 2000
- GM trials a shambles, say greens, FWi, 28 April, 2000