We cannot help but wonder how many days of action are needed by the antivivisection groups to make their case. No sooner have Animal Aid held their ‘Action Day for Primates’ on 25 August, than the National Anti-Vivisection Society is to demonstrate for ‘International Primate Day’ on 1 September. We didn’t see any media coverage of the Animal Aid event, and we don’t expect much for the NAVS.

Once again we have to listen to the very limited combined weight of expertise of various celebrities like actress Jenny Seagrove and TV presenter Michaela Strachan. One wonders when these people are going to bother to actually find out some of the facts about primate research instead of trotting out the same tired old antivivisection propaganda.

Perhaps those who care to take part in these days of action should take note of the latest posting on the relatively new blog of SPEAK Political, which claims that “we scratch and claw for every piddling little victory whilst allowing the big picture to completely elude us. At our present rate of achievement, in another 100 years we won’t have moved on much from where we are now. No wonder so many of us drift away disillusioned.” SPEAK used to have lots of days of action. Perhaps the animal rights movement depend too much on celebrities and days of action?