Former UK minister for the environment, Michael Meacher refuses to be silenced on the GM debate. The critic who was dismissed earlier this year has warned the Commons not to allow the sale of GMO products until more extensive research is carried out.
"I don't think even the sceptics are saying that GM will kill you, it's more subtle than that. People are being given bland assurances suggesting genetically modifying must be all right, well the fact is that they haven't looked for the evidence," said Meacher speaking to the Commons all party group.
Believing not enough research to have been carried out on the impact on human health, the former minister has told the Environment Audit Committee that it would be 'totally irresponsible' to allow the go-ahead of GMO sales.
Meacher claimed that the results of farm scale trials published earlier this month backed up findings from a three year series he had launched himself in 1999. The former minister foretold the impact of GM crops on biodiversity, claiming that it caused problems for the environment.
Despite supporters of the technology arguing that GM crops can be engineered to be drought tolerant and useful in Third World countries, findings from the recent trials are argued to show that growing GM crops is worse for the environment than conventional crops.
Meacher conceded that his dismissal from the cabinet during a reshuffle in July may have been linked to his hard-line views around the GM issue, although he has denied any pressure by the government to moderate his views.