The vast majority of the United Kingdom public are frightened of genetically modified (GM) crops, according to the 'GM Nation?' report presented to the government on 24 September 2003*.

Chair of the GM debate, Malcolm Grant, said the overwhelming response to GM was one of “concern and scepticism” (BBC News). “The GM debate reflected a weakening in the faith in the ability or even the will of any government to defend the interest of the general public” he said (Sydney Morning Herald).

Strangely enough, on the same day that GM crops were taking a battering in the United Kingdom media, there was some good news for GM advocates in Brazil, where Vice President Jose Alencar announced that the ban on transgenic crops was lifted (The New York Times).

However, the United Kingdom news just seemed to get worse for supporters of GM crops. Buoyed by the results of the GM debate, an environmental group claimed to have signed up hundreds of people online to a pledge to pull up any future commercial plantings of GM crops (The Guardian).

Almost at the same time, Bayer announced their decision to halt United Kingdom trials of GM plants until conditions were “more favourable” (The Observer).

So, things are not looking comfortable for the United Kingdom Government and for GM's strongest political advocate, Prime Minister Tony Blair. The 'GM Nation?' report was a blow to his five-year mission to introduce GM agriculture (The Independent).

Now that the field trials that originally delayed the GM decision look like providing plenty of ammunition for GM opponents (The Guardian), it is hard to see the government pushing through GM crops in the face of an unreceptive public.

*Note: Flaws in the methodology used to gauge the public's attitudes to GM technology in the "GM Nation?" report have recently been highlighted (see Nature 425, 559; 2003).