Exactly one-month after a new animal rights organisation - VERO - was founded to oppose the building of the new research centre at Oxford University, they have achieved precisely nothing.

Sure, to her credit, the founder of the group, Sharon Howe, managed to blurt out on Newsnight her personal view that animal research doesn’t work. When the day comes that we all believe that a student of modern languages knows more about medical science than the overwhelming majority of researchers and doctors throughout the world, then VERO really will have achieved something.

Apart from being heavily promoted by unpleasant organisations like the Animal Liberation Front, a quick internet search demonstrates that VERO has gained little in the way of profile or new followers. The fact that they have had to rope in such ageing antivivisectionists as the long discredited animal rights philosopher Richard Ryder, indicates once again that there is little new blood entering the movement. Likewise MEP Caroline Lucas, whose scientific credentials would put her in the flat earth brigade, is as predictable a member as ever.

We applaud Oxford University for completely ignoring this bunch of assorted animal-rights campaigners. Keep going VERO. You are doing a great job at exposing the paucity of arguments from the animal rights front.