The People's Petition
Encyclopedia
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
.
), a broad alliance that includes pharmaceutical companies and research agencies, the petition
was proposed by a member of the public to represent the "silent majority
who accept the need for animal studies". David Taylor stated that, as neither a scientist
nor doctor, he wanted a way "to show people who carry out medical research that I value and support their work."
The petition offered the opportunity for individuals of any age or place of residence to express support for three assertions:
activists, then British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced in the Sunday Telegraph
, that he intended to add his name to the petition. As an unusual move for a serving politician
, Blair described his intention as "a sign of just how important I believe it is that as many people as possible stand up against the tiny group of extremists threatening medical research and advances in [the UK]."
Animal rights groups criticised Blair's actions; the National Anti-Vivisection Society
calling it "hugely irresponsible". The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
praised Blair's stance in tackling extremists, but expressed concern that he was "blindly backing the animal experimenters" practising "outmoded science."
Blair's announcement also drew praise, however. Jean-Pierre Garnier, chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline
, stated he was encouraged by Blair's "personal commitment" and Colin Blakemore
, chief executive of the Medical Research Council
, thanked Blair "on behalf of medical researchers, who live in fear of such intimidation."
Other notable signatories include Caroline Flint
and Tom Brake
, both MPs
, and Polly Toynbee
. As of the end of 2006, the number of signatures exceeded 21,850.
ONLINE
ONLINE is a magazine for information systems first published in 1977. The publisher Online, Inc. was founded the year before. In May 2002, Information Today, Inc. acquired the assets of Online Inc....
campaign to express support for medical experimentation using animals
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 the United Kingdom
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...
. Within a year of launch the number of signatures exceeded 21,850 and included 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...
, the then-serving Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
.
Purpose
Launched on 20 April, 2006 by the Coalition for Medical Progress (now part of Understanding Animal ResearchUnderstanding Animal Research
Understanding Animal Research is a British advocacy group. It formed in late 2008 through the merger of two existing groups - the Research Defence Society and the Coalition for Medical Progress. Its main aims are to "achieve understanding and acceptance of the need for humane animal research in...
), a broad alliance that includes pharmaceutical companies and research agencies, the petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
was proposed by a member of the public to represent the "silent majority
Silent majority
The silent majority is an unspecified large majority of people in a country or group who do not express their opinions publicly. The term was popularized by U.S...
who accept the need for animal studies". David Taylor stated that, as neither a scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
nor doctor, he wanted a way "to show people who carry out medical research that I value and support their work."
The petition offered the opportunity for individuals of any age or place of residence to express support for three assertions:
- Medical research is essential for developing safe and effective medical and veterinary treatments, requiring some studies using animals.
- Where there is no alternative available, medical research using animals should continue in the UK.
- People involved in medical research using animals have a right to work and live without fear of intimidation or attack.
Response
By 13 May, the petition had recorded 13,000 signatures. The following day, in the wake of publicity around a number of acts of intimidation by animal rightsAnimal 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, then British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced in the Sunday Telegraph
Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961. It is the sister paper of The Daily Telegraph, but is run separately with a different editorial staff, although there is some cross-usage of stories...
, that he intended to add his name to the petition. As an unusual move for a serving politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, Blair described his intention as "a sign of just how important I believe it is that as many people as possible stand up against the tiny group of extremists threatening medical research and advances in [the UK]."
Animal rights groups criticised Blair's actions; the National Anti-Vivisection Society
National Anti-Vivisection Society
The National Anti-Vivisection Society, is a national, not-for-profit animal welfare organization based in London whose purpose is to eliminate product testing, education and biomedical research on animals....
calling it "hugely irresponsible". The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection is a British animal protection and advocacy group that campaigns for the abolition of all animal experiments...
praised Blair's stance in tackling extremists, but expressed concern that he was "blindly backing the animal experimenters" practising "outmoded science."
Blair's announcement also drew praise, however. Jean-Pierre Garnier, chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
, stated he was encouraged by Blair's "personal commitment" and 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...
, 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...
, thanked Blair "on behalf of medical researchers, who live in fear of such intimidation."
Other notable signatories include Caroline Flint
Caroline Flint
Caroline Louise Flint is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Don Valley since 1997. She served as the Minister of State for Housing and Planning in 2008, and later as the Minister for Europe until her resignation in 2009, citing the leadership of Gordon...
and Tom Brake
Tom Brake
Thomas Anthony Brake, known as Tom Brake, British Liberal Democrat politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Carshalton and Wallington.-Early life:Tom Brake was born in Melton Mowbray, moving to France when he was eight...
, both MPs
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 Polly Toynbee
Polly Toynbee
Polly Toynbee is a British journalist and writer, and has been a columnist for The Guardian newspaper since 1998. She is a social democrat and broadly supports the Labour Party, while urging it in many areas to be more left-wing...
. As of the end of 2006, the number of signatures exceeded 21,850.
See also
- Animal liberation movementAnimal liberation movementThe animal-liberation movement, sometimes called the animal-rights movement, animal personhood, or animal-advocacy movement, is a social movement which seeks an end to the rigid moral and legal distinction drawn between human and non-human animals, an end to the status of animals as property, and...
- Animal rightsAnimal rightsAnimal 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...
- Animal testingAnimal testingAnimal 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...
- Medical research
- Pro-TestPro-TestPro-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...
- Stop Huntingdon Animal CrueltyStop Huntingdon Animal CrueltyStop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty is an international animal rights campaign to close down Huntingdon Life Sciences , Europe's largest contract animal-testing laboratory. HLS tests medical and non-medical substances on around 75,000 animals every year, from rats to primates...
- VivisectionVivisectionVivisection is defined as surgery conducted for experimental purposes on a living organism, typically animals with a central nervous system, to view living internal structure...