Mass lobby of Parliament

Hundreds of people (and symbolic scarecrows) braved snowstorms and freezing temperatures to call for the right to choose GM-free food, and urge their MPs to support this choice.

The mass lobby and rally in London , organised
by Friends of the Earth, the Five Year Freeze, the National Federation of Women's Institutes and FARM proved a big success despite the weather.

While nearly two thirds of people in the UK want tough laws to prevent GM contamination, the Government is apparently planning a legal framework that would allow widespread contamination.

So who is in favour of GM in the UK ? It's the Government, and only the Government.

Michael Meacher MP

Inspiring speakers

Participants first gathered near Westminster to listen to a group of inspirational speakers - including former Environment Minister Michael Meacher MP, US lawyer and journalist Claire Hope-Cummings and Friends of the Earth's Tony Juniper. The key message was that while we have won many battles on GM, the threat remains.

The US has contamination everywhere. It's widespread, rampant, and out of control.

Claire Hope-Cummings

Key demands

Participants then left for the House of Commons, scarecrows in hand, to ask their MPs to sign up to our key demands:

• sign a parliamentary petition, Early Day Motion 406, calling for tough rules to prevent GM contamination
  
• write to Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for DEFRA expressing their concerns
  
• sign the European GM-free zones petition calling for the right for local and regional authorities to decide whether GM crops are grown in their area
  
• sign the Bite Back citizen's objection, calling on the World Trade Organisation to throw out the US-led attempt to force GM into Europe.

After braving the cold weather, some participants persuaded their MPs to come out of Parliament for a photo opportunity with the scarecrows. Also on hand to keep the queue entertained were a seven foot scarecrow with talking crow, musicians playing fiddle and accordion, and some spooky corn-dolly performance art.

More pictures from the day.

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Main image © Deborah Thompson/Friends of the Earth