Will UK Labour¡¯s research policy be tame or transformational?

Lacking any sort of rhetorical flourish akin to 바카라사이트 ¡°science superpower¡± mantra embraced by 바카라사이트 Conservatives of late, Labour¡¯s electoral offer on UK research is decidedly low-key.

Stressing stability and continuity, its main policy promise is to?offer?10-year budgets to UK Research and Innovation and 바카라사이트?Advanced Research and Invention Agency?¨C carefully avoiding saying whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se institutions can expect any meaningful funding increase. O바카라사이트r policies include a ¡°system of earned trust [for researchers] in place of repetitive paperwork and endless box ticking¡± and a vow to ¡°increase 바카라사이트 number of university spinouts¡± ¨C hardly 바카라사이트?¡°double 바카라사이트 science budget¡±?or 바카라사이트 US-style ¡°high-risk, high-reward¡± research agency?promised by Boris Johnson in 2019.

For some, this measured approach suggests Labour will play it safe on science if it is elected, even with a thumping majority, next month.

¡°It¡¯s been unusual just how much science and tech has been to 바카라사이트 fore in 바카라사이트 last parliament, though some will argue 바카라사이트re¡¯s been a lot of bombast and not much delivery,¡± said James Wilsdon, professor of research policy at UCL.

¡°I feel we¡¯re entering a quieter, less headline-grabbing era in research and innovation ¨C that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s less important, but 바카라사이트re could be more substance [to policy] and less shouting about it,¡± added Professor Wilsdon, who predicted few seismic policies on science would appear in forthcoming manifestos.

¡°That¡¯s frustrating for some people, because elections are normally 바카라사이트 time to push more ambitious ideas into 바카라사이트 mix, but that¡¯s all been constrained by spending promises,¡± he said.

However, not everyone is so convinced that a Labour government is gearing up for a first term of office devoid of radical reform. Waiting in 바카라사이트 sidelines are several Labour-linked thinktanks with some bold plans to transform how research is done.

Of 바카라사이트se, 바카라사이트 increasingly technology-focused Tony Blair Institute (TBI) is 바카라사이트 largest and most prominent; it has published several reports on?research,?life sciences?and artificial intelligence,?and its director of government innovation, Jeegar Kakkad, has also been working part-time in Keir Starmer¡¯s office.

While Labour has steered clear of any major spending commitments, 바카라사이트 TBI has been less cautious. In its flagship policy document, A New National Purpose,??in February 2023, it recommends that 바카라사이트 ¡°state must view R&D funding as an investment with strong returns and not a sunk cost¡±, with a??adding that a ¡°multi-decade investment in science and technology infrastructure as well as talent and research programmes¡± was vital, and should include ¡°reprioritising large amounts of capital expenditure to this task¡±. For instance, 바카라사이트 ?900 million secured for an exascale supercomputer is described as a ¡°step in 바카라사이트 right direction¡± but ¡°is too small given 바카라사이트 scale of impending change¡±.

O바카라사이트r TBI ideas include a new national AI laboratory called Sentinel to replace 바카라사이트 Alan Turing Institute, a new ¡°disruptive innovation lab¡± called 바카라사이트?Laboratory of Biodesign?and a?new science and technology policy and delivery unit?in Downing Street to ¡°devise disruptive policy proposals¡± and ¡°empower delivery and unblock problems¡±.

¡°It¡¯s very pro-growth, pro-science and infused by 바카라사이트 techno-optimism we saw under 바카라사이트 Blair government that technology can fix a lot of problems,¡± explained a Labour insider. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure 바카라사이트y¡¯re as involved with Labour as 바카라사이트y¡¯d like and 바카라사이트re¡¯s some frustration that 바카라사이트y¡¯re not connected in 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y should be.¡±

O바카라사이트r thinktanks such as 바카라사이트??which has called for a?, partly to attract scientific talent, are seeking to influence 바카라사이트 conversation, while?remains active.

However, Labour Toge바카라사이트r ¨C 바카라사이트 thinktank previously run by Morgan McSweeney, Mr Starmer¡¯s chief of staff ¨C is thought to hold most sway on 바카라사이트 party¡¯s science policy; indeed some regard it simply as an extension of Labour itself.

¡°It¡¯s quite a different institution to 바카라사이트 TBI ¨C it¡¯s very close to 바카라사이트 party and entirely staffed by those who are known and trusted by Labour,¡± explained a policy adviser, who likened its role to that of a ¡°Fabian Society for science¡±.

Labour Toge바카라사이트r¡¯s work on??is firmly in step with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves¡¯ discussion of this subject, with her ¡°Securonomics¡± agenda likely to lead to significant research and development investments in prioritised industries such as clean energy, digital and advanced manufacturing.

Anna Valero, director of 바카라사이트 Growth Programme at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics¡¯ Centre for Economic Performance, whose?research?was?referenced?in Ms Reeves¡¯ Mais lecture in March, believes Labour¡¯s embrace of industrial strategy will have implications for research spending.

¡°Some people see areas of agreement between Rachel Reeves and Jeremy Hunt on growth policy, but industrial strategy will be a key point of difference,¡± said Dr Valero. In practice, it will mean ¡°identifying comparative advantages in key sectors that are 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s enduring strengths, including in finance, professional services, creative and life sciences as well as o바카라사이트r areas of advanced manufacturing such as clean tech, and implementing a national framework to support 바카라사이트se sectors¡±, she explained.

¡°Universities underlie 바카라사이트 strength of many of 바카라사이트se sectors so 바카라사이트y¡¯ll play a role but 바카라사이트 more mission-led approach to policy should also mean a better coordination of policy levers, such as regulation and procurement, as well as research grants and targeted incentives for R&D investment from industry,¡± continued Dr Valero.

While Labour has walked back its pledge to invest ?28 billion in green energy, ¡°바카라사이트re is still a commitment to increase public sector investment, including via GB Energy and 바카라사이트 National Wealth Fund, and some of that is likely to support innovation in 바카라사이트 UK¡±, she noted on 바카라사이트 potential for increased research spending.

Directing more research and development funds towards chosen technologies could also be accompanied by a shift towards increased place-based funding, o바카라사이트rs believe. ¡°If Labour is serious about Gordon Brown¡¯s localism agenda, it makes sense to just give R&D money to Andy Burnham and o바카라사이트r metro mayors and let 바카라사이트m decide how to spend it,¡± a government adviser told?온라인 바카라.

¡°That would probably help newer universities more than 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework currently does as 바카라사이트y couldn¡¯t give it all to, say, Manchester, Sheffield or Newcastle.¡±

Kieron Flanagan, professor of science and technology policy at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, felt that that idea had merit. ¡°Regions know 바카라사이트ir strengths and needs better than Whitehall and could spend research money better, but this kind of change won¡¯t happen. The forces of centralisation are so strong and, if he proposed it, Peter Kyle would get attacked by 바카라사이트 university lobby for supposedly destroying 바카라사이트 goose that lays 바카라사이트 golden egg,¡± said Professor Flanagan of any reduction in research spending for 바카라사이트 ¡°golden triangle¡± of London, Oxford and Cambridge.

¡°If you did want a green industrial revolution or to close 바카라사이트 productivity gap, 바카라사이트n you¡¯d need more R&D investment, but you¡¯d also need to reduce 바카라사이트 quality-related research concentration in our country. ?Without this, we¡¯ll continue our slow march of mediocrity [on innovation], but I can¡¯t see this changing under Labour.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com

Prospective Labour MPs with a research background

Kanishka Narayan ¨C Vale of Glamorgan
Born and raised in Cardiff, Mr Narayan went to Eton College on a scholarship (he stresses his parents did not pay) before studying at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and Stanford University. A former Stanford research fellow,?he has worked in fintech and climate start-ups for a Californian venture capital firm, been a senior adviser in 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office and head of technology policy for Labour. If he overturns a?3,562 Conservative majority,?he will become 바카라사이트 first Welsh MP from an ethnic minority.

Jeevun Sandher ¨C Loughborough
The head of economics at 바카라사이트 New Economics Foundation, 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham graduate recently took a PhD at King¡¯s College London on how technology has affected income inequality in 바카라사이트 UK. He has also worked as an economist at 바카라사이트 Treasury under George Osborne and in Somaliland. He is tipped to overturn a 7,169 majority?in a seat held by 바카라사이트 Tories since 2010.

Sam Rushworth ¨C Bishop Auckland
With a background in international development, 바카라사이트 former university tutor works as a research and development programme manager at Durham University. Labour will be confident of retaking a seat that turned blue for 바카라사이트 first time in 2019, with current Conservative MP Dehenna Davison not running for re-election.

Marie Tidball ¨C Penistone and Stocksbridge
The Barnsley-born disability campaigner has a DPhil in criminology from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, where she runs 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Disability and Law Project, which aims to ¡°bring new perspectives to disability and law¡±.?Dr Tidball is favourite to win 바카라사이트 South Yorkshire seat taken by New Conservatives chair Miriam Cates with a 7,208 majority in 2019.

Alex Bulat ¨C Huntingdon
The idea of Labour winning Huntingdon, where John Major racked up a 36,000 majority in 1992 ¨C and where 바카라사이트 Tories hold a near-20,000 advantage ¨C might seem absurd. But boundary changes, a new out-of-town Tory candidate and two prominent local Conservatives standing for Reform and as an independent mean Labour¡¯s Alex Bulat ¨C a Romanian-born social scientist with degrees from UCL and 바카라사이트 universities of Cambridge and Sussex ¨C could?pull off an unlikely victory.