There was a time when RDS would be almost the only organisation responding to new tactics by the animal rights extremists. How things have changed. Condemnation of the threatening letters to GSK shareholders came quickly from all quarters. There was a much quicker and more co-ordinated response from the government and police, which can only be welcome.

RDS was delighted to see members of the Pro-Test organising committee symbolically buying a share each in GSK, as reported on the BBC website.

We believe the extremists have taken on more than they can handle this time. They simply cannot intimidate all 170,000 GSK shareholders all at once. And if they did, imagine the media outcry then.