We have some very important news.
The High Court has ruled in our favour in the judicial review of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Regulations 2025!
The Court found that the Minister responsible for introducing the Regulations was given incorrect information about his legal powers to change them and, as a result, failed properly to investigate the consequences of removing safeguards relating to transparency, traceability and labelling. The judge concluded that the decision to proceed with the Regulations, without a proper assessment, was irrational and unlawful.
This is a significant and substantial victory.
For years we were told these Regulations were settled, robust and beyond serious challenge. We were told that transparency and labelling were unnecessary. We were told that concerns about consumer choice, traceability and impacts on farmers and food businesses had already been addressed.
The Court’s judgment paints a very different picture.
It confirms that important questions were not properly investigated before longstanding safeguards were removed. It recognises that removing transparency creates real burdens and extra costs for farmers, food businesses and consumers. It also contains findings that may have significance far beyond this particular case, including recognition that organic farming is not merely a technical certification system but forms part of many farmers’ identity, reputation and professional values.
Perhaps most importantly, this case brought information into the public domain that might otherwise never have seen the light of day.
The internal government documents disclosed during the case revealed that attracting investment, supporting commercialisation and creating a competitive advantage for UK biotechnology were central drivers of deregulation. They also revealed that the government, under pressure from the case, has conceded labelling precision bred seeds.
Without this judicial review, neither Parliament nor the public would know these things.
That is what your support has achieved.
Every document disclosed, every witness statement prepared, every day spent in court and every legal argument advanced was made possible because of people who decided that transparency, accountability and informed choice matter.
But the case is not over. We’ve identified the problem, now we must find a solution.
The Court has asked both sides to make further submissions before deciding what remedy should follow. In other words, while the Government’s approach has been found unlawful, the Court must still decide what consequences should flow from that finding and what changes may now be required.
The next phase, which could take some time, could prove just as important as the first.
That means our legal work continues and so do the costs associated with it.
If you are able to do so, please consider making a donation to help us complete this final stage of the case.
There are other ways you can help too.
- Write to your MP You can use our handy e-action tool to ask your MP to support transparency, traceability and meaningful labelling of gene-edited foods. If you get an answer please share it with us at info@stophiddengmos.uk.
- Help break the silence Don’t wait for the mainstream media to pick this up. Share news of the judgment with local media, community groups and others who care about transparency and accountability in our food system.
For years we were told these Regulations were unstoppable and inevitable.
This judgment demonstrates that no policy is beyond scrutiny, no government is beyond accountability and that a relatively small group of determined citizens really can make a difference.
Thank you for being part of that group.