Evan Harris

Evan Harris
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Dr Evan Harris, the Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said: “About 18 months ago I suggested to the Research Defence Society that there should be a demonstration. It’s important to show the research community we are on their side. There were, however, concerns about whether enough people would turn out and whether it would be provocative.” [2006] Focus: A campaigning hero

Posted - 11/04/2007 : 19:05:20

Harris was Deer's accomplice when they ambushed Andy Wakefield with their allegations in the Lancet offices in February 2004, and was particularly free with his accusations about unethical investigative procedures, although these were not upheld by the Royal Free Hospital, Lancet, the Sunday Times or nearly all the witnesses at the GMC hearing. As I recorded in the CiF blog Harris presently lists Sense about Science as a benefactor in the register of MP's interests:

"I have been provided with the services of an intern to conduct research work and co-ordinate a project by Sense About Science, an independent charitable trust. (Registered 30 January 2007)"

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/evan_harris/oxford_west_and_abingdon

But, of course, Sense About Science is bio-tech lobby organisation which list as its donors:

the ABPI, AstraZeneca plc, BBSRC, The Biochemical Society, Blackwell Publishing, BP plc, British Institute of Radiology, Dixons Group plc, Elsevier, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Garfield Weston, GE Healthcare, GlaxoSmithKline, Halifax Bank of Scotland, Health and Science Communication Trust, Institute of Physics, Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, John Innes Centre, John Innes Trust, Medical Research Council, NESTA, New Scientist, Oxford GlycoSciences plc, Pfizer plc, The Physiological Society, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Astronomical Society, Royal College of Radiology, Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, Royal Society of Chemistry, Science Careers.org, Social Issues Research Centre, The Society for Applied Microbiology, The Society for Endocrinology, The Society for General Microbiology, Unilever plc. Help with equipment, facilities and services has been received from: AXA Investment Management, Horticultural Research International, Institute of Biology, The Natural History Museum, Lord Stevenson of Coddenham, and WPP.

http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/other/130/

A web search reveals that Camberwell Carrot signifies a gigantic cannabis joint which featured in the 1986 cult movie 'Withnail and I'. The Carrot remarks at one point about Clifford Miller:

"hopefully not the same CliffordGMiller bombarding the the BMJ with other reams of piffle and referring to the MMR vaccine as "murder".."

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/evan_harris/2007/10/treating_women_as_grownups.html#comment-862753

Though, to the best of my knowledge Clifford never said this it resonates with a BMJ post of Brian Deer:

"A drastic pruning of the rapid responses is clearly right. In addition to the reasons given, the editors should note that in one tedious, tedious, area - the MMR debacle - countless BMJ rapid responses, essentially claiming that immunisation policies are a murderous conspiracy, have been routinely lifted wholesale and republished across the web as apparent content from a medical journal. What hapless parents are supposed to make of some of this stuff, seeming to carrying the authority of a prestigious British publication, god only knows. Call me censorious, but we should be glad to see the back of it."

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/330/7503/1284#108827

Anyhow, the Carrot doe not sound like an innocent bystander.