Daddy scientist doesn't know best

That there were aspects of National Socialist policy that could be described as "green" is undoubtedly true but to use this as a means of linking today's GM protesters with the Nazis is at least as suspect as pointing out similarities between Nazi eugenicists and contemporary geneticists.

Steve Jones and the green protesters who heckled him have more in common than they seem to recognise: both are concerned that we appear to have learned nothing from our failure to be more careful with insecticides and antibiotics; both are aware that genetic manipulation poses even greater dangers and fear a "much bigger" disaster.

Perhaps Jones needs to take on board the possibility that the failure to predict the consequences of the misuse of antibiotics and insecticides and the subsequent tardiness in recognising and dealing with the problems does not inspire public confidence that GM technology will be managed carefully. I am sure that in 2019 Jones will not want to be repeating "If we knew when we started what we know now..." (and the Greens will not want to hear it).

Franc Chamberlain University College, Northampton