Mike Weatherley continues to
voice concerns on GM crops
The
European Commission has agreed to lift a five-year ban on genetically
modified food. It has approved a
Swiss company's application to import a GM sweetcorn into the EU.
Syngenta was given approval to import the GM tinned sweetcorn into the
25-nation bloc for 10 years. Mike
Weatherley, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Pavilion responds
to this development: “This is
very worrying news indeed. Not only
is the European Commission deciding what can be imported to the UK, a decision I
believe should be left to democratically elected politicians and preferably MPs
in the House of Commons, they have clearly ignored concerns raised when EU
member states failed to break a deadlock on the issue last month.
I share these concerns and do not want to see GM foods in this country
until it is proven that there are no adverse health implications from eating
these crops.”
On
announcing the ruling EU health commissioner David Byrne said the sweetcorn had
been subject to the most rigorous pre-marketing assessment in the world by EU
food-safety scientists. He claimed
food safety is therefore not an issue; it is a question of consumer choice
Mike
said: “I am absolutely amazed at the complacency of the commission.
The
Environmental Audit Select Committee of the House of Commons raised serious
scientific concerns on the commercial growth of GM crops.
And the Government’s own consultation process demonstrated that 90% of
public opinion was against the growth of GM produce.
I doubt any of this evidence of serious concern was considered by the
Commissioners.”
Last month,
France, Portugal, Austria, Luxembourg, Greece and Denmark continued to oppose a
lifting of the ban. Spain,
Belgium and Germany abstained, while Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, Ireland,
Sweden and Finland voted to approve it.
Mike
adds: “Given that the British
people have said loud and clear that they are against the growth of GM produce,
it is little wonder that there is so much EU scepticism in this country.
We want to be in Europe not run by Europe.
This is a classic example of unellected EU Commissioners imposing their
will on us.”
Anti-GM campaigners say the decision has little scientific backing and has no support among the people of Europe. Before the moratorium was lifted, Adrian Bebb, GM campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe, said: "There is clearly no political consensus across Europe on this genetically-modified sweet corn. Scientists cannot agree over its safety and the public does not want it. If the Commission decides to force this down our throats, then they can only expect the public's confidence in GM foods to sink even further."
A number of other
companies are hoping to follow Syngenta, with the EU currently analysing another
33 applications for the breeding or cultivation of GM crops in Europe.
Mike said: “The floodgates are now open.
Companies are queuing up yet there is no health safety net for consumers.
It is totally irresponsible to allow GM crops when the science is still
unclear.”
In
yet a further example of complacency, a
new law proposed by Gregory Barker, Conservative MP for Bexhill and Battle,
controlling the release of Genetically Modified Crops into the environment was
recently blocked by Labour MPs and Ministers.
Andrew Dismore MP (Labour, Hendon) used an obscure Parliamentary device
to kill the debate halfway through Greg Barker's opening speech.
During the debate
on the Genetically Modified Organisms Bill, Mr Dismore called a vote for the
House to sit in private, and then the vast majority of Labour members and
Ministers present at the House of Commons deliberately failed to vote. As a
result, too few MPs were counted through the lobbies, and the debate on the Bill
was ended early by the Deputy Speaker.
The
Bill, which has been supported by Friends of the Earth, would have required the
House of Commons to approve rules for the planting of GM crops which would
prevent them contaminating non-GM and organic farms. It also required the
Commons to approve liability rules which would ensure that farmers who found
their crops contaminated by GM traits could win compensation from the GM
industry. Importantly, the Bill required these measures to be in place before
any planting took place, and required votes of the full House of Commons and
devolved assemblies, to ensure full democratic scrutiny.
Mike
said: “Clearly the public cannot trust the Government who
appear to be determined to force GM crops on the UK and will stamp on any debate
that members of the public or Parliament seek to raise.
Now they now they cannot trust the EU either.
It is only the Conservative Party who are taking the issue of GM crops
seriously and will do all it can to safeguard the nations health.”