- guardian.co.uk, Friday April 6 2001 03.48 BST
In the face of a campaign from some leading scientists, the shadow agriculture minister, Tim Yeo, has quietly shelved his plan to end "secrecy" over animal experiments. His move marks the 12th policy U-turn performed by the Tory leadership.
Mr Yeo pledged in February that a Tory government would introduce legislation to force the government's animal procedures committee, which monitors animal experiments, to publish details of tests by scientists. Under the reforms, government inspectors would also be given powers to make surprise inspections of animal testing laboratories and the monitoring committee would have to explain why non-animal methods were unsuitable before licences for experiments would be granted.
Mr Yeo's plans prompted protests led by Colin Blakemore, professor of physiology at Oxford University, whose vivisection work has resulted in letter bombs and death threats from animal rights extremists. Prof Blakemore, who accused the Tories of "making policy on the hoof", said that Mr Yeo's plans "would guarantee the leakage of information to terrorist organisations".
Mr Yeo initially dismissed Prof Blakemore's criticisms. However, after meeting the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry last month he decided to shelve his controversial policy. A source at the association said last night: "It is our understanding that the Tories are revising their policy. We were not consulted on the policy, but we found Mr Yeo very amenable at our meeting."
