Nats anti- GM stance ‘ goes against Scots proud scientific tradition’

The SNP’S outright oppo - sition to genetically modified crops flies in the face of the country’s proud tradition as a world leader in scientific endeavour.

That was the view expressed yesterday by the author, journalist, environmental activist and former anti-GM campaign er, Mark Lynas, who famously changed sides in the debate over genetic modification after he “discovered” scientific methodology.

Speaking after he addressed the annual general meeting of the Scottish Society of Crop Research, he said such an approach was likely to lead to a brain drain of top scientists working in this field:

“After all who would want to work in a discipline which is effectively banned by the government?

“It would make more sense to take up a position in the US where the atmosphere is much more friendly to this area of science.”

During his talk to the audience of scientists and farmers he also said that the attitude of the Scottish Government – and others taking an anti- GM stance in Europe–was impacting on some of the poorest nations on Earth.

“For an often heard- argument used by governments in developing countries to stop the cultivation of GM varieties is, ‘ If it’s not good enough for consumers in the West then why should we accept it’ – and we must take responsibility for the hunger and malnutrition which the use of GM crops with drought tolerance and insect pest resistance could eradicate in many parts of the world.”

But he said that even at home the opposition to the use of this technology was confounding the SNP’S argument of cultivating a “clean, green” image for the country’ s foodstuffs and environment:

“The technology could be used to speed up the breeding of potatoes which were resistant to bligh tenormously – but to deny this when the crop is sprayed with pesticides almost weekly to control the disease looks like hypocrisy in the extreme.”

Lynas also took as wipe at the organic movement – stating that rejecting GM technology was the biggest mistake the movement had ever made.