Ministers attempted to hush up BSE activists
28 September 1998
Ministers attempted to ‘hush up’ BSE activists
A JUNIOR agriculture minister attempted to “hush up” animal welfare activists to protect the beef industry, a witness will tell the BSE Inquiry today.
Joyce dSilva, of Compassion in World Farming, claims that Donald Thomson, a junior agriculture minister in 1989, was “blatant” in his attempts to “hush us up”.
Other witnesses say they were “patronised and ridiculed” by successive ministers when they raised questions over BSE.
Rosemary Berry and Barbara Smith, of the Womens Farming Union, said their members were “at best patronised and often ridiculed” when they raised concerns about BSE.
- Scientists early BSE warning ignored, FWi, 12 June, 1998
- Financial Times 28/09/98 page 8
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