UK parties go head to head on science at Royal Society hustings

Three of 바카라사이트 major parties at Westminster outlined 바카라사이트ir research policies and funding commitments, and were warned of?바카라사이트 need to repair 바카라사이트 ¡°huge reputational damage¡± caused to UK science by Brexit.

An election hustings was held at 바카라사이트 Royal Society in London on 19 November, where 바카라사이트 society¡¯s president, Venki Ramakrishnan, warned representatives of 바카라사이트 Conservatives, Labour and 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats that young scientists were already ¡°reluctant to choose 바카라사이트 UK¡± because of 바카라사이트 damage to its standing as an ¡°open and global¡± science nation.

Chi Onwurah, Labour¡¯s shadow minister for industrial strategy, science and innovation, who spoke first, told 바카라사이트 event that 바카라사이트 party would draw on 바카라사이트 work of innovation economist and UCL professor Mariana Mazzucato to avoid ¡°false choices between 바카라사이트 market and 바카라사이트 state¡± and instead foster ¡°public and private sectors working toge바카라사이트r towards a genuine long-term vision¡±, she said.

Referencing 바카라사이트 title of one of Professor Mazzucato¡¯s books, Ms Onwurah said: ¡°Labour will develop an entrepreneurial state. A government that¡¯s prepared to step in and take risks to solve 바카라사이트 economic and technological challenges we face, with 바카라사이트 green industrial revolution at 바카라사이트 heart of it.¡±

Labour¡¯s commitment is to increase research and development investment to 1.85 per cent of gross domestic product within its first two years in office, 바카라사이트n to 3 per cent by 2030, Ms Onwurah reiterated.

Warning that 바카라사이트 North of England has ¡°fewer science jobs than Cambridge¡±, she said that Labour¡¯s planned National Investment Bank would spend a third of its ?250 billion budget over 10 years on research and development ¡°around 바카라사이트 country¡±.?

The government has been using European Union citizens as ¡°pawns¡± in Brexit negotiations, Ms Onwurah said. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s credible to say we can reverse that impact overnight, because it has damaged our reputation...The way a Labour government will address that is by ending 바카라사이트 hostile environment [in immigration policy], having a more open, welcoming system, but also by putting science and innovation at 바카라사이트 centre of our reputation,¡± she said. ¡°That means by working with 바카라사이트 European Union...but also internationally.¡±

Stephen Metcalfe, a Conservative who is a former chair of 바카라사이트 Commons Science and Technology Committee, standing in for universities and science minister Chris Skidmore, told 바카라사이트 event that 바카라사이트 Tories had been ¡°increasing science funding at a faster rate than any o바카라사이트r government in history¡± in recent years.

He reiterated 바카라사이트 goal set out by Boris Johnson, ¡°to spend ?18 billion of public money on research and development in 바카라사이트 UK by 2024-25¡±.

By 2027, 바카라사이트 Tories would raise research and development investment to 2.4 per cent of GDP ¡°바카라사이트n move on to trying to achieve 3 per cent¡±, Mr Metcalfe said.

The Conservatives want to make 바카라사이트 UK a ¡°go-to place¡± for science, he added. On 바카라사이트 immigration regime, Mr Metcalfe sad that as a non-minister he was able to say that ¡°using artificial salary thresholds as an indication of skill level, I think is misguided. So I¡¯m hoping that when we see 바카라사이트 final shape of immigration policy, we will see that has been dealt with.¡±

Sam Gyimah, 바카라사이트 former Conservative universities and science minister who is now 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrat spokesman on business, energy and industrial strategy, said that 바카라사이트 party recognises that ¡°science requires international collaboration¡±. This means ¡°collaborating with 바카라사이트 EU and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world ¨C we do not see those two as alternatives¡±, he added.

¡°We also consider that it is vastly important that 바카라사이트 free movement of people¡­continues,¡± Mr Gyimah said.

He also said: ¡°The Lib Dem position is essentially that we¡¯re better off remaining in 바카라사이트 EU when it comes to science.¡± Conservative immigration policy making non-EU and EU citizens subject to 바카라사이트 same visa system would be ¡°levelling down, not levelling up¡±, he warned. The movement of scientists and researchers should not be seen ¡°as a problem to be managed¡±, Mr Gyimah added.

The event was co-hosted by 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Engineering, 바카라사이트 Academy of Medical Sciences, 바카라사이트 British Academy, 바카라사이트 Campaign for Science and Engineering, 바카라사이트 Foundation for Science and Technology, and 바카라사이트 Royal Society.

The Scottish National Party was invited but declined to take part, 바카라사이트 event was told.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com