A second member of the steering group overseeing a £500,000 public dialogue over genetically modified food has resigned in protest to the use of public money to promote pro genetically modified propaganda.

They include Professor Brian Wynne, a sociologist at Lancaster University, was the vice chairman of the group.

Earlier, the director of Genewatch UK Dr. Helen Wallace had stepped down from his role.

Speaking on the topic, Dr. Wallace said, “This is a worst case example of dirty politics where vested interests are paid to dupe the public using public money.”

Dr. Wallace added that taxpayers’ money should be used to improve services such as schools and hospitals rather than providing a boost to GM companies such as Syngenta and Monsanto.

The GM dialogue plan was ordered by the old Labour government to overturn consumer opposition to the technology, but it is believed that some ministers in the new coalition government are ready to kill off the plan.

The Food Standards Agency said it would ask the new government if it should go on with the dialogue or not.