'Daily Telegraph' Pro- vivisection

Subject: Uncaged tackle pro-vivisection media

Uncaged tackle pro-vivisection media bias

Uncaged today have responded once again to a biased and inaccurate editorial
in today's Daily Telegraph. We are truly sickened by the refusal of certain
sections of the media to cover vivisection issues in balanced way. Will they
publish our response? Don't hold your breath...


Letters to the Editor
Daily Telegraph
24 February 2004

Dear Sir

The opinion piece today (24 February 2004) "Animal wrongs" misrepresents the
circumstances surrounding Cambridge University's decision not to press ahead
with plans for a primate brain research centre. John Prescott did not
overrule the local council - he overruled the independent Planning
Inspector's denial of permission following a public inquiry, which had
investigated whether the severe vivisection planned for the establishment
was scientifically justified and in the national interest. Cambridge
University and Prescott were facing a court battle over the perverse
decision to overrule the Planning Inspector, and the University had claimed
at the Public Inquiry that security fears were not a major issue.
Furthermore, the licensing of brain experiments at Cambridge is currently
the subject of a judicial review following revelations of unpunished
law-breaking.

To portray the affair as a battle between 'zealots' and infallible
scientists is not only a silly, gross distortion, but it undermines the
reasoned public debate which, presumably, the Telegraph would encourage. The
wider point is that is not surprising that activists should take the law
into their own hands when faced with the abuse of power that the Government
and biotechnology industry indulge in. With the Government deliberately
failing to enforce even the limited protection offered by the regulatory
structure, they are hardly in a position to point an accusing finger at
others who disregard the law. Almost three million animals are deliberately
subjected to painful and lethal experiments in the UK every year. In
comparison to this systematic brutality, any aggressive response from
activists is infinitesimal.

Yours sincerely,

Dan Lyons
Director, Uncaged Campaigns
9 Bailey Lane, Sheffield, S1 4EG
www.uncaged.co.uk
www.xenodiaries.org