Government to launch controversial ad campaign to sell GM foods

News of the latest campaign comes as the government faces fresh criticism for its use of advertising. It was attacked on Sunday in a BBC Panorama documentary.

The TV, radio, press and poster campaign is designed to soften up the public to the widespread introduction of GM foods.

The campaign, revealed in a cabinet briefing paper, will run until next spring when the results of current GM food trials will be known.

Following the conclusion of the trials, the government has to decide whether it will allow farmers to use GM seeds on a widespread basis.

Green campaigners have consistently been attacking the government over its stance on GM testing and has disrupted test sites.

Earlier this year, the government overtook Procter & Gamble and BT to become the UK's biggest marketer, catapulting the Labour administration to the top of the annual advertising spend league table for the first time. Figures from ACNielsen MMS revealed that the government adspend soared by 37.5% in 2001 to £143m (January to December), a record for any UK government.

The news reignited opposition claims that Labour's obsession with spin is resulting in the misuse of taxpayers' money.

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