Pro-Test
Encyclopedia
Pro-Test is a British
group that promotes and supports animal testing
in medical research. It was founded on January 29, 2006 to counter SPEAK
, an animal-rights campaign opposing the construction by Oxford University of a biomedical and animal-research
facility, which SPEAK believes may include a primate
-testing centre. Pro-Test held its first rally on February 25, 2006, attracting hundreds in support of the research facility and opposed by a smaller number of anti-lab demonstrators.
The group was founded by Laurie Pycroft from Swindon
when he was 16. After forming the group, British newspapers described Pycroft as a "sixth form
drop-out," "bedroom blogger," and "campaigning hero." It is now run by a committee of ten: academics (Tipu Aziz
, John Stein, and David Priestman), five Oxford graduate and undergraduate students, medical writer Alison Eden, and Pycroft.
Pro-Test says that it stands for "science, reasoned debate and, above all, the welfare of mankind. … We support only non-violent protest
and we condemn those using violence or intimidation to further their goals. We strongly support animal testing as crucially necessary to further medical science." The Guardian
has written that it is a "new public interest
cause," seeking to "defend animal-testing to advance medical science."
research centre is located on South Parks Road
behind a five-metre (15 ft) barrier. Construction work is carried out by workmen wearing balaclavas and using unmarked vehicles, after the first contractor, Walter Lilly, owned by Montpellier plc, pulled out in the face of threats. The facility is intended to become the "centre for all animal research at Oxford," according to Mark Matfield, former director of the Research Defence Society
, resulting in "the closure of a number of existing animal facilities".
The formation of Pro-Test coincided with threats made by the Animal Liberation Front
, against Oxford staff and students, on the Bite Back
website. ALF spokesman, Robin Webb
confirmed that "high-level student groups working against SPEAK
protesters may be targeted."
Pycroft describes in his blog
, hosted at the LiveJournal
website, how he set up Pro-Test after visiting his girlfriend in Oxford on January 28, 2006 and watching a SPEAK demonstration from the window of a coffee shop. Pycroft, his girlfriend, and one other, staged a personal counter-demonstration
.
After writing about the experience on his blog, Pycroft has said he was receiving 300 hits an hour within days, and after attracting interest from the media, Oxford students, and the pro-animal-testing movement, he decided to schedule a second demonstration to coincide with a SPEAK protest on February 25, 2006. According to The Times, "Pro-Test’s tactics mirror those of animal rights
activists, with about 150 students using websites and chat forums to organise protests."
which passed without violent incident, marching at the same time as more than 150 SPEAK protestors demonstrated in various locations across the city.
A number of politicians and scientists addressed the Pro-Test demonstrators. These included Evan Harris
, the Liberal Democrat
science spokesperson and MP for Oxford West and Abingdon; the Radcliffe Hospital's neurosurgeon and Pro-Test committee member Professor Tipu Aziz
, whose research into Parkinson's disease
"involves the use of primates," and who recently spoke out in support of testing cosmetics
on animals; Simon Festing
of the Research Defence Society
, a lobby group funded by the pharmaceutical industry and universities; and Pro-Test committee member Professor John Stein, an Oxford neurophysiologist
who "induces Parkinson's disease in monkeys and then attaches electrode
s to their brains to test therapies which may help human sufferers," according to The Guardian. In his speech to the crowd, Stein declared, "This is a historic day; we are drawing a line in the sand."
(then chief executive of the Medical Research Council
), Evan Harris
MP
and Alan Duncan
MP (the Shadow Cabinet
Trade and Industry Secretary
). David Priestman, a researcher of genetic disorder
s in children at Oxford University, told the Oxford Mail
his reasons for joining the rally:
Speakers at the rally included Robin Lovell-Badge, a stem cell
researcher at the National Institute for Medical Research
, Evan Harris and Laurie Pycroft. Peter Hollins, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation
and chair of the Coalition for Medical Progress, was also scheduled to attend but was unable to due to illness.
, a group based in the US with similar goals to that of Pro-Test
On 22 April 2009 more than 700 staff, students and Los Angeles residents led by the neuroscientist Professor David Jentsch held a rally to launch the UCLA chapter of Pro-Test, and to stand up to the animal rights extremists who has targeted Prof. Jentsch and other scientists in a campaign of harassment and arson. At the event, Tom Holder announced the launch of The Pro-Test Petition which aims to give people in the US the "opportunity to show [their] support for the scientists and [their] opposition to the use of threats and violence". This petition, to defend animal research, is similar to The People's Petition
which gained over 20,000 signatures in the United Kingdom.
Pro-Test have taken the case for animal research to Parliament
, participating in a debate at The Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW). The debate focused specifically upon whether the Oxford biomedical research lab should be built and involved both MPs and members of the public. The principal speakers were Iain Simpson, press officer for Pro-Test, and Dr. Jarrod Bailey of Europeans for Medical Progress.
Pro-Test handed out doughnuts and cakes to workers on the South Parks Road site on March 31, 2006 to show their support for their work.
Pro-Test fielded Pycroft for a debate at the Oxford Union
on the motion "This house would not test on animals". Supporting the motion were Dr Gill Langley
, Dr Andrew Knight, Uri Geller
and Alistair Currie. On the opposing side were Pycroft, Professor Colin Blakemore
, Professor John Stein and Professor Lord Robert Winston
. The motion was defeated, 273 to 48 of the Union members voting with the opposing side.
A cross-college student referendum
proposed by Pro-Test was held on November 16, 2006. It proposed support for the Oxford lab's construction and animal testing in general, and found support from approximately 90% of voters. http://www.pro-test.org.uk/b2evo/index.php?blog=5&title=90_4_of_oxford_students_support_animal_r&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
On May 9, 2006, the BBC
reported that Pro-Test had bought ten shares in GlaxoSmithKline
(GSK), as a "gesture of solidarity" with the company and its investors. An animal rights group had earlier sent letters to individual shareholders threatening to reveal personal details unless their shares were sold. The letters explained GSK's investors were targeted because of the company's association with Huntingdon Life Sciences
. Pro-Test announced that their share purchase was to demonstrate that "intimidation has no place in the UK".
British Prime Minister Tony Blair
gave his support to Pro-Test and The People's Petition
in an article for the Sunday Telegraph, citing "the Pro-Test demonstration in Oxford, which... deserves support" as an example of the change in public attitudes in the UK. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/05/14/nrights214.xml http://www.oxfordstudent.com/tt2006wk4/news/blair_speaks_out_in_support_of_pro-test http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.761191.0.pms_protest_stance_welcomed.php
The BBC programme Newsnight
hosted a vivisection debate on the 24 July 2006. Tipu Aziz, John Stein and Iain Simpson of Pro-Test featured in the debate, as did members of SPEAK and Europeans for Medical Progress.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
group that promotes and supports animal testing
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
in medical research. It was founded on January 29, 2006 to counter SPEAK
SPEAK (animals)
SPEAK, the Voice for the Animals is a British animal rights campaign founded in 2003 that aims to end animal experimentation in the UK. It has to date fought against two projects. The first was a proposed non-human primate research facility at the University of Cambridge, which was abandoned in...
, an animal-rights campaign opposing the construction by Oxford University of a biomedical and animal-research
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
facility, which SPEAK believes may include a primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
-testing centre. Pro-Test held its first rally on February 25, 2006, attracting hundreds in support of the research facility and opposed by a smaller number of anti-lab demonstrators.
The group was founded by Laurie Pycroft from Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
when he was 16. After forming the group, British newspapers described Pycroft as a "sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
drop-out," "bedroom blogger," and "campaigning hero." It is now run by a committee of ten: academics (Tipu Aziz
Tipu Aziz
Tipu Zahed Aziz is a professor of neurosurgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, and a lecturer at Magdalen College, Oxford and the Imperial College London medical school...
, John Stein, and David Priestman), five Oxford graduate and undergraduate students, medical writer Alison Eden, and Pycroft.
Pro-Test says that it stands for "science, reasoned debate and, above all, the welfare of mankind. … We support only non-violent protest
Protest
A protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
and we condemn those using violence or intimidation to further their goals. We strongly support animal testing as crucially necessary to further medical science." The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
has written that it is a "new public interest
Public interest
The public interest refers to the "common well-being" or "general welfare." The public interest is central to policy debates, politics, democracy and the nature of government itself...
cause," seeking to "defend animal-testing to advance medical science."
Background
The construction site of the OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
research centre is located on South Parks Road
South Parks Road
South Parks Road is a road in Oxford, England. It runs east-west past the main Science Area of the University of Oxford, where many of the science departments are located....
behind a five-metre (15 ft) barrier. Construction work is carried out by workmen wearing balaclavas and using unmarked vehicles, after the first contractor, Walter Lilly, owned by Montpellier plc, pulled out in the face of threats. The facility is intended to become the "centre for all animal research at Oxford," according to Mark Matfield, former director of the Research Defence Society
Research Defence Society
The Research Defence Society was a British lobby group. At the end of 2008 the Research Defence Society merged with another UK organisation - the Coalition for Medical Progress to form Understanding Animal Research ....
, resulting in "the closure of a number of existing animal facilities".
The formation of Pro-Test coincided with threats made by the Animal Liberation Front
Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front is an international, underground leaderless resistance that engages in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal liberation...
, against Oxford staff and students, on the Bite Back
Bite Back
Bite Back is a Malaysia-registered website and magazine that promotes the cause of the animal liberation movement, and specifically the Animal Liberation Front...
website. ALF spokesman, Robin Webb
Robin Webb
Robin Webb is an English animal rights activist. He is a former member of the ruling council of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals , and former director of Animal Aid...
confirmed that "high-level student groups working against SPEAK
SPEAK (animals)
SPEAK, the Voice for the Animals is a British animal rights campaign founded in 2003 that aims to end animal experimentation in the UK. It has to date fought against two projects. The first was a proposed non-human primate research facility at the University of Cambridge, which was abandoned in...
protesters may be targeted."
Pycroft describes in his blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, hosted at the LiveJournal
LiveJournal
LiveJournal is a virtual community where Internet users can keep a blog, journal or diary. LiveJournal is also the name of the free and open source server software that was designed to run the LiveJournal virtual community....
website, how he set up Pro-Test after visiting his girlfriend in Oxford on January 28, 2006 and watching a SPEAK demonstration from the window of a coffee shop. Pycroft, his girlfriend, and one other, staged a personal counter-demonstration
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
.
After writing about the experience on his blog, Pycroft has said he was receiving 300 hits an hour within days, and after attracting interest from the media, Oxford students, and the pro-animal-testing movement, he decided to schedule a second demonstration to coincide with a SPEAK protest on February 25, 2006. According to The Times, "Pro-Test’s tactics mirror those of animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
activists, with about 150 students using websites and chat forums to organise protests."
February 2006 rally
According to the Daily Telegraph, over 800 students, academics and members of the public took part in the February 25, 2006 protest in the centre of OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
which passed without violent incident, marching at the same time as more than 150 SPEAK protestors demonstrated in various locations across the city.
A number of politicians and scientists addressed the Pro-Test demonstrators. These included Evan Harris
Evan Harris
Evan Leslie Harris is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon from 1997 to 2010, losing his seat in the 2010 general election by 176 votes to Conservative Nicola Blackwood....
, the Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
science spokesperson and MP for Oxford West and Abingdon; the Radcliffe Hospital's neurosurgeon and Pro-Test committee member Professor Tipu Aziz
Tipu Aziz
Tipu Zahed Aziz is a professor of neurosurgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, and a lecturer at Magdalen College, Oxford and the Imperial College London medical school...
, whose research into Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
"involves the use of primates," and who recently spoke out in support of testing cosmetics
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
on animals; Simon Festing
Simon Festing
Simon Festing is chief executive of the Society for General Microbiology.-Education:Festing graduated in 1987 as a Bachelor of Medicine from the London Hospital Medical College...
of the Research Defence Society
Research Defence Society
The Research Defence Society was a British lobby group. At the end of 2008 the Research Defence Society merged with another UK organisation - the Coalition for Medical Progress to form Understanding Animal Research ....
, a lobby group funded by the pharmaceutical industry and universities; and Pro-Test committee member Professor John Stein, an Oxford neurophysiologist
Neurophysiology
Neurophysiology is a part of physiology. Neurophysiology is the study of nervous system function...
who "induces Parkinson's disease in monkeys and then attaches electrode
Electrode
An electrode is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit...
s to their brains to test therapies which may help human sufferers," according to The Guardian. In his speech to the crowd, Stein declared, "This is a historic day; we are drawing a line in the sand."
June 2006 rally
Supporters of Pro-Test marched through Oxford on Saturday, 3 June 2006. Their route led them through Radcliffe Square, the High Street and ended nearby the laboratory in the University's science area. Speakers included Colin BlakemoreColin Blakemore
Professor Colin Blakemore, Ph.D., FRS, FMedSci, HonFSB, HonFRCP, is a British neurobiologist who is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and University of Warwick specialising in vision and the development of the brain. He was formerly Chief Executive of the British Medical...
(then chief executive of the Medical Research Council
Medical Research Council (UK)
The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
), Evan Harris
Evan Harris
Evan Leslie Harris is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon from 1997 to 2010, losing his seat in the 2010 general election by 176 votes to Conservative Nicola Blackwood....
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and Alan Duncan
Alan Duncan
Alan James Carter Duncan is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton, and a Minister of State in the Department for International Development....
MP (the Shadow Cabinet
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
Trade and Industry Secretary
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. Its secondary title is the President of the Board of Trade...
). David Priestman, a researcher of genetic disorder
Genetic disorder
A genetic disorder is an illness caused by abnormalities in genes or chromosomes, especially a condition that is present from before birth. Most genetic disorders are quite rare and affect one person in every several thousands or millions....
s in children at Oxford University, told the Oxford Mail
Oxford Mail
Oxford Mail is a daily tabloid newspaper in Oxford, England owned by Newsquest. It is published six days a week. It is a sister paper to the weekly tabloid The Oxford Times.-History:...
his reasons for joining the rally:
February 2008 rally
Pro-Test held a third rally in Oxford on February 9, 2008. According to the BBC, around 200 people marched in protest at "fear and intimidation" from animal rights groups. Towards the start of the event, a lone animal rights protestor started to shout in counter protest, but was escorted away by the police.Speakers at the rally included Robin Lovell-Badge, a stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
researcher at the National Institute for Medical Research
National Institute for Medical Research
The National Institute for Medical Research, commonly abbreviated to NIMR, is a medical research facility situated in Mill Hill, on the outskirts of London, England. It is mainly funded by the Medical Research Council, or MRC, and is its largest establishment and the only one designated as an...
, Evan Harris and Laurie Pycroft. Peter Hollins, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation
British Heart Foundation
The British Heart Foundation is a charity organisation in Britain that funds research, education, care and awareness campaigns aimed to prevent heart diseases in humans.-Foundation:...
and chair of the Coalition for Medical Progress, was also scheduled to attend but was unable to due to illness.
Pro-Test in the United States
In Spring 2008, Pro-Test Spokesman, Tom Holder, set up Speaking of ResearchSpeaking of Research
Speaking of Research is a US-based group which actively supports the use of animals in biomedical research. It was founded in March, 2008 by Tom Holder, an "energetic young British activist who played an active role in the Pro-Test movement at the University of Oxford," who moved to the US for the...
, a group based in the US with similar goals to that of Pro-Test
On 22 April 2009 more than 700 staff, students and Los Angeles residents led by the neuroscientist Professor David Jentsch held a rally to launch the UCLA chapter of Pro-Test, and to stand up to the animal rights extremists who has targeted Prof. Jentsch and other scientists in a campaign of harassment and arson. At the event, Tom Holder announced the launch of The Pro-Test Petition which aims to give people in the US the "opportunity to show [their] support for the scientists and [their] opposition to the use of threats and violence". This petition, to defend animal research, is similar to The People's Petition
The People's Petition
The People's Petition was an online campaign to express support for medical experimentation using animals in the United Kingdom. Within a year of launch the number of signatures exceeded 21,850 and included Tony Blair, the then-serving Prime Minister....
which gained over 20,000 signatures in the United Kingdom.
Other activities
An unnamed Oxford academic told the BBC that "a war is looming over 'scientific freedom' and the 'future of progress'," and suggests that the Pro-Test campaign is part of a wider reaction against animal-rights activism.Pro-Test have taken the case for animal research to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, participating in a debate at The Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW). The debate focused specifically upon whether the Oxford biomedical research lab should be built and involved both MPs and members of the public. The principal speakers were Iain Simpson, press officer for Pro-Test, and Dr. Jarrod Bailey of Europeans for Medical Progress.
Pro-Test handed out doughnuts and cakes to workers on the South Parks Road site on March 31, 2006 to show their support for their work.
Pro-Test fielded Pycroft for a debate at the Oxford Union
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
on the motion "This house would not test on animals". Supporting the motion were Dr Gill Langley
Gill Langley
Gillian Rose Langley is a British scientist and writer who specializes in alternatives to animal testing and animal rights. She is a member of the Replacement Advisory Group of the British National Centre for the Three Rs, founded by David Sainsbury, and was from 1981 until 2009 the science...
, Dr Andrew Knight, Uri Geller
Uri Geller
Uri Geller is a self-proclaimed psychic known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other supposed psychic effects. Throughout the years, Geller has been accused of using simple conjuring tricks to achieve the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy...
and Alistair Currie. On the opposing side were Pycroft, Professor Colin Blakemore
Colin Blakemore
Professor Colin Blakemore, Ph.D., FRS, FMedSci, HonFSB, HonFRCP, is a British neurobiologist who is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and University of Warwick specialising in vision and the development of the brain. He was formerly Chief Executive of the British Medical...
, Professor John Stein and Professor Lord Robert Winston
Robert Winston
Robert Maurice Lipson Winston, Baron Winston is a British professor, medical doctor, scientist, television presenter and politician.-Early life and education :...
. The motion was defeated, 273 to 48 of the Union members voting with the opposing side.
A cross-college student referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
proposed by Pro-Test was held on November 16, 2006. It proposed support for the Oxford lab's construction and animal testing in general, and found support from approximately 90% of voters. http://www.pro-test.org.uk/b2evo/index.php?blog=5&title=90_4_of_oxford_students_support_animal_r&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
On May 9, 2006, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
reported that Pro-Test had bought ten shares in GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
(GSK), as a "gesture of solidarity" with the company and its investors. An animal rights group had earlier sent letters to individual shareholders threatening to reveal personal details unless their shares were sold. The letters explained GSK's investors were targeted because of the company's association with Huntingdon Life Sciences
Huntingdon Life Sciences
Huntingdon Life Sciences is a contract animal-testing company founded in 1952 in England, with facilities in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire; Eye, Suffolk; New Jersey in the U.S., and Japan...
. Pro-Test announced that their share purchase was to demonstrate that "intimidation has no place in the UK".
British Prime Minister Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
gave his support to Pro-Test and The People's Petition
The People's Petition
The People's Petition was an online campaign to express support for medical experimentation using animals in the United Kingdom. Within a year of launch the number of signatures exceeded 21,850 and included Tony Blair, the then-serving Prime Minister....
in an article for the Sunday Telegraph, citing "the Pro-Test demonstration in Oxford, which... deserves support" as an example of the change in public attitudes in the UK. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/05/14/nrights214.xml http://www.oxfordstudent.com/tt2006wk4/news/blair_speaks_out_in_support_of_pro-test http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.761191.0.pms_protest_stance_welcomed.php
The BBC programme Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
hosted a vivisection debate on the 24 July 2006. Tipu Aziz, John Stein and Iain Simpson of Pro-Test featured in the debate, as did members of SPEAK and Europeans for Medical Progress.
See also
- The People's PetitionThe People's PetitionThe People's Petition was an online campaign to express support for medical experimentation using animals in the United Kingdom. Within a year of launch the number of signatures exceeded 21,850 and included Tony Blair, the then-serving Prime Minister....
- Speaking of ResearchSpeaking of ResearchSpeaking of Research is a US-based group which actively supports the use of animals in biomedical research. It was founded in March, 2008 by Tom Holder, an "energetic young British activist who played an active role in the Pro-Test movement at the University of Oxford," who moved to the US for the...
External links
- SPEAK personal attack on the founder of Pro-Test
- Pro-Test founder's response
- "Build the Oxford animal lab!" Social Affairs Unit Web Review, February 20, 2006
- Monkeys, Rats and Me - Documentary covering the building of the Laboratory