BRITAIN: Companies with links to animal testing might be allowed to hide the identities of their shareholders, Tony Blair said yesterday as he moved to reinforce what he believes is a hardening of public attitudes against the anti-vivisection lobby.
The prime minister took the rare step of promising to sign up to the online "People's petition" which declares: "Medical research using animals, carried out to the highest standards of care and welfare, and where there is no alternative available, should continue in the UK."
Wary of the charge that Mr Blair should concentrate on tightening the laws rather than protesting, Downing Street sources insisted yesterday that the petition was better described as a "declaration". Lord Sainsbury, the science minister, said last week he wanted to add amendments to the company law reform Bill to prevent animal rights activists from acquiring the home addresses of shareholders.
In an article for the London Sunday Telegraph newspaper, Mr Blair said he would consult on further action, including "exempting companies from providing full public details of shareholders in future".
"Crucially, we are now seeing a change in public attitudes as well as the law. We are now seeing very welcome signs of both individuals and firms being ready to stand up publicly to intimidation and making clear this extremist fringe is out of touch with public opinion."
Last week the pharmaceutical group GlaxoSmithKline won an injunction against animal rights activists who have been targeting small shareholders. At the weekend, seven leading institutional investors sent a letter to the Financial Times promising to keep shareholdings in companies engaged in research.
The government and police have been encouraged by the formation of ProTest, a grassroots movement in Oxford, formed as a counterpoint to activists who want to stop construction of the £18 million Oxford University animal testing laboratory.
Last week three activists were jailed for a total of 36 years. Jon Ablewhite, John Smith and Kerry Whitburn were each sentenced to 12 years after a six-year campaign against a guinea pig farm in Staffordshire, in central England, which culminated in the theft of a woman's body from her grave.