Financial Times

Meacher vows to keep up GM crops campaign from backbench

By Christopher Adams, Political Correspondent

14 June 2003

Michael Meacher, one of Tony Blair's longest serving ministers and one-time
member of Jim Callaghan's Labour administration, promised to campaign
actively from the backbenches after he lost his environment job in
yesterday's continuing reshuffle.

His departure removes from government the most outspoken critic of the prime
minister's policy on genetically modified foods.

Mr Meacher quickly dispelled any hopes in Downing Street that he might opt
for the quiet life, saying in an interview that he would be vocal in the
Commons. He is likely to be a leading figure in the debate now underway on
whether to introduce commercially grown GM crops to Britain.

On a day that saw eight ministers sacked or resign to clear the way for
fresh blood in the middle ranks, Mr Meacher was followed by Barbara Roche,
who lost her social inclusion role.

Nick Brown, once chief whip in Downing Street and a former agriculture
secretary, left his job as work minister.

Mr Meacher appeared to be a victim of his doubts about GM foods. He made no
secret of his views yesterday: "The whole issue of the GM debate is very
much with us ...I shall now be extremely active on this. People in this
country must be able to give their views and government must fully take that
into account in the way in which they take their decision."

He added: "There's an opportunity, if people feel there is great uncertainty
about the future impact of GM crops, to invoke the precautionary principle
because there have in fact been no health trials of the impact of consuming
GM foods on human beings at all. And this is a reason why we need to be duly
cautious."

Mr Brown's departure from the Department of Work and Pensions marks the end
of a career in government for a close ally of Gordon Brown, the chancellor.
Brian Wilson resigned as energy minister while Baroness Blackstone left the
Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Other ministers who left were Lord Macdonald of Tradeston, who left the
Cabinet Office, Sally Keeble, a junior minister at the Department for
International Development, and Lewis Moonie at the Ministry of Defence.

Environmental groups said Mr Meacher's departure showed the government was
failing to take "green" issues seriously. "It now appears there is maybe
no-one left in the government on the side of the public and organic farmers
in opposing the commercialisation of GM crops," said Patrick Holden,
director of the Soil Association.

The resignations followed two cabinet level departures on Thursday. Alan
Milburn unexpectedly quit as health secretary to spend more time with his
family and Helen Liddell left her job as Scottish secretary.