Letter: Allergic to GM soya

Sir: I used to be a research scientist. I am concerned that scientists are over-revered, by governments and the public at large.

In the 1930s, scientists confidently assured us that asbestos was safe, and that there were no ill-effects from smoking tobacco. More recently, they assured us that BSE could not possibly affect humans. They were not lying. It was just that their experimental methods were flawed.

For centuries, it has been clear that scientists tend to relax when they have proof of what people want to hear. They are only human, and telling people nice things may further their career, or even get them a Nobel prize.

We need more healthy scepticism, and prime ministers pontificating about matters they don't understand won't help.

Dr JOHN CUTHBERT

Redbourn, Hertfordshire