A North academic's decision to quit a Government panel on genetically modified crops is proof the whole debate is a charade, environmentalists claimed last night.

North-East Friends of the Earth (FoE) members made the claim in the wake of university professor Dr Carlo Leifert's resignation from a Government science review panel into GM food.

The Journal revealed yesterday that Dr Leifert, a professor of ecological agriculture at Newcastle University, stepped down because he believes the Government's inquiry was set up to endorse the controversial new science.

The inquiry, which published its findings on Monday, said no scientific case for ruling out GM crops existed but stopped short of giving GM crops blanket approval.

Last night, Tim Sander, North-East regional campaigns co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth, supported Dr Leifert's move but added he did not think it would have any real impact.

Mr Sander said: "For a top professor to resign in this manner just goes to show what people are thinking out there - that a decision has already been made and a body has been set up to back that up."

He added: "I believe the argument against GM has been won already but we are losing the political battle. The Government is steamrolling debate with its pro-GM stance. If the Government has got any sense it will sit back and take notice but unfortunately I don't think this resignation will make a blind bit of difference.

"The Government should embark on a meaningful debate and continue with a moratorium on GM crop growing and research properly. Farm trials are not the way forward. It needs to go back into the greenhouse. It's not been researched thoroughly enough."

The Government's position is that no decision will be made until crop trials finish later this year.

Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick Alan Beith said last night: "It's obviously a matter of great concern that an expert like Dr Leifert has felt he had to resign from the panel and it does underline the great uncertainties which still surround the potential effect of GM planting on other crops and species."