In an interview with The Times (UK), British Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke out against rising “anti-science” attitudes in Great Britain, including animal rights extremism.
In a preview of a major speech Blair is scheduled to give on the topic later this week, Blair condemned animal rights violence. Blair told the Times,
It is completely unacceptable for people to try to disrupt and destroy the legitimate research on which these (ethical) issues will ultimately be judged.
. . .
It is time to defend science, to make clear that the government is not going to allow misguided protests against science to get in the way of confronting the challenges of making the most of our opportunities.
Research Defence Society’s Mark Matfield told the Times that he was pleased with Blair’s statements in defense of animal research,
We welcome this hugely. Tony Blair has always been very pro-science and pro-scientist, and we were impressed with the way he refused to mince words over Huntingdon Life Sciences. All our research shows that it does make a very significant difference to public attitudes when you see political leaders speak out on these issues.
Blair’s speech is scheduled for this Thursday, May 23.
Source:
Blair condemns protesters who thwart science. Philip Webster and Mark Henderson, The Times (UK), May 20, 2002.
Britain’s Blair slams ‘anti-science’ attitudes. Reuters, May 19, 2002.
Blair vows to ‘speak up for science’. The BBC, May 19, 2002.