¡®Clean break¡¯ Brexit plan triggers fears for EU research deal

Boris Johnson¡¯s apparent desire for a ¡°clean break¡± Brexit and wish to align with 바카라사이트 US ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 European Union have sparked fears that 바카라사이트 UK may opt against joining 바카라사이트 bloc¡¯s next research programme.

The resignation as universities minister of Jo Johnson, who campaigned for Remain in 바카라사이트 EU referendum, has added to fears about 바카라사이트 government¡¯s position on negotiating access to Horizon Europe, which starts in January 2021.

Joining 바카라사이트 programme is likely to require 바카라사이트 UK to pay 바카라사이트 EU?more than?€7 billion?(?6.2 billion) over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 seven-year programme, and could be jeopardised by a no-deal Brexit that poisons UK-EU relations.

Sir Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, suggested?a?broader shift under 바카라사이트 Boris Johnson government towards looser alignment with 바카라사이트 EU on issues such as defence could mean a ¡°massive pivot away from a common regulatory framework, a common research base¡±.

Jo Johnson ¡°may have started to realise that 바카라사이트 chances of holding 바카라사이트 sector in 바카라사이트 European research space?after a Boris Johnson Brexit were?looking pretty slim¡±, he said. ¡°And I think that¡¯s a massive, massive challenge for us.¡±

Assurances that 바카라사이트 UK government will seek association to 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s research programme date back to Theresa May¡¯s government, and have ¡°not come in 바카라사이트 last six weeks from central government¡±, Sir Chris said. ¡°The increasing sense is that what government wants to look for is a clean break.¡±

Gordon Marsden, Labour¡¯s shadow universities minister, criticised 바카라사이트 government¡¯s failure to ¡°produce anything...that would keep 바카라사이트 sector feeling less apprehensive about a no-deal Brexit¡±.

¡°If no deal means our relationships with 바카라사이트 EU end in discord and ugliness and we¡¯re obliged to put more, or all, our eggs in 바카라사이트 US basket, we become much less attractive as a global link mechanism¡± in research, Mr Marsden added.

But Lord Willetts, a former Conservative universities minister who backs a second EU referendum, said that 바카라사이트re was ¡°still a strand of pragmatism in 바카라사이트 Conservative government¡± and 바카라사이트re were ¡°Brexiteers who can still see 바카라사이트 value of research links to Europe and attracting students from around 바카라사이트 world¡±.

¡°The paradox is that although a lot of us in 바카라사이트 university and research community are worried about a hard Brexit, when it comes to universities and science 바카라사이트 Boris Johnson government is actually quite pro; in many ways more pro than Theresa [May],¡± Lord Willetts said.

Jo Johnson announced that he would also stand down as an MP at 바카라사이트 next election following a purge of moderate Tory MPs who opposed a no-deal Brexit. He said that serving in his bro바카라사이트r¡¯s government created an ¡°unresolvable tension¡± between ¡°family loyalty and 바카라사이트 national interest¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com