TONY BLAIR has launched a drive to attract American bioscience companies to Britain in an attempt to capitalise on restrictions imposed by President George Bush on US government funding for stem-cell research.

Blair is to use his trip to America to propose a joint UK-California conference in London to highlight the opportunities Britain can offer stem-cell scientists.

Today, the prime minister is due to meet executives from the biggest biotech companies in California specialising in stem-cell research and to highlight Britain’s favourable regulatory regime and government incentives available to investors.

Many medical experts consider stem-cell research vital for the future of medicine. The cells have the potential to develop into any cell in the body but are often harvested from human embryos, which has led pro-life campaigners and church groups to condemn the science.

Although the state of California has spent some £2 billion on stem-cell research, earlier this month Bush vetoed any expansion of federal funding of the science. The decision, taken on moral grounds, was welcomed by pro-life supporters but condemned by many scientists.

Bush’s veto was also attacked by campaigners such as Michael J Fox, the actor who suffers from Parkinson’s disease.

Blair hopes he may now be able to attract millions of pounds of investment from American companies deterred by the unfavourable climate in their home country.

In promotional literature for his visit to California, the prime minister says Britain “already has a legislative and regulatory infrastructure designed to ensure the highest quality research and development”.

The official circular states: “We want to encourage research exploring all sources of stem cells, including embryonic stem cells”. Britain, it points out, is the perfect place “for frustrated scientists in the US who want to do the world some good”.

The prime minister is also keen to play down the threat posed by animal rights extremists who have attacked the homes, workplaces and families of drug-industry scientists and executives.

In a “progress report” on animal rights militants, Blair says Britain now has some of the toughest laws in the world to tackle extremists, highlighting the fact that it is now an offence to target any scientist, research facility or company directly involved in research or investing in it.

A spokesman for the prime minister said he did not expect the plans for a stem-cell conference would provoke pro-life campaigners into protests. “Our position is quite clear on stem-cell research and there are rules against cloning embryos,” he said.

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