Brian faces his critics.

Radio Times: Brian faces his critics.

Characters: Brian, Janet, Mike, Neil, Susan, Tommy, Tony

• After a delayed start (Janet had forgotten the keys to the village hall) a good turnout sees the big match: Tony vs Brian in the big GMO debate.
• Brian kicked off highlighting the yield advantages and the cost efficiencies – and that subsidies won’t be around for ever.
• Kate’s heckling of her father was a little embarrassing, her calling him Frankenstein particularly amused Susan.
• Tony’s rebuttal concentrated on there being so much about the debate that is unclear, a point reiterated by Tim Hathaway later – that genetics is important in medicine but the environment at large is not like a science lab.
• Brian was pleasantly surprised by the debate and considered the meeting evenly divided – Tony’s less sure, convinced he had the overwhelming majority. Janet suggests that they might approach the Parish Council about having a local referendum, it might not be legally binding, but it might make Brian think. After all, the debate was reasonably informed, but it won’t change anything globally.