WHEN scientist Dr Arpad Pusztai said rats fed genetically-modified potatoes for just 10 days suffered shrunken brains, liver damage and weakening of their immune system, he was forced out of his job at a government-funded research institute.

Now, 20 top scientists back his findings. Worrying? Of course, it is.

But what's the official reaction? It looks like a replay of the deadly mad-cow disease fiasco, if you ask me.

Remember Tory agriculture minister John Gummer trying to force-feed a burger to his daughter for the cameras in order to reassure us beef was safe when it darned well wasn't?

Well, Tony Blair's declaration that he eats GM food himself and his 'frustration' at the debate over whether it should be banned is, surely, a similar propaganda exercise.

Indeed, it may well be safe. But after the BSE debacle, the last person I'd want to tell me it is safe is a government politician who believes that tinkering with nature is as harmless as Mr Gummer thought turning cows into cannibals was. And what is wanted is a full and open debate on so-called Frankenstein foods, not poo-poohing of it by Downing Street.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.