Protesters accused of distorting referendum
Protesters accused of distorting referendum
A FARMER hosting a trial of genetically modified forage maize has accused some protesters of distorting the outcome of a local referendum.
The 5600 electors of Wivenhoe in Essex were given the opportunity to vote in the referendum over a trial being held just over the parish boundary, at Sunnymead Farm, Elmstead Market.
Only 2,139 (38%) returned their ballot papers and of them, 1894 (88.5%) voted against the trial and 159 (7.4%) voted in favour.
The rest of the returned papers were either "dont knows" or were invalid.
Mr Dutton said that, based on the result, some protesters had been claiming that nearly 90% of the electorate of Wivenhoe were against the GM trial.
"This is distorting the truth. The fact is that 62% of the electorate did not even bother to vote," he said.
He would not be responding to the vote because he was under contract to Aventis to use his land for the trial crop.
"I regard the GM crop being tested as kinder to the environment because we will have to spray it fewer times. The crop cannot cross-pollinate and poses no danger," Mr Dutton added.
But Neal Verlander, spokesman for the Friends of the Earth environment group, which has been supporting local protesters, said regardless of percentages the result was overwhelming.
"It shows again that when people are consulted over GM they oppose it," he said.
Mr Verlander called on Mr Dutton to respond to the result of the referendum by destroying the trial crop. *