Yvette Cooper backs increased science spend with 3 per cent GDP target

Labour leadership candidate Yvette Cooper will call for 바카라사이트 UK to commit to almost doubling its science and R&D spend to 3 per cent of GDP.

On a day when she will visit 바카라사이트 University of Manchester¡¯s National Graphene Institute, Ms Cooper was set to call for a long-term framework for science funding as part of a plan to create more high-wage, high-skill jobs.

Ms Cooper will also take part in a Labour leadership hustings in Manchester alongside rivals Andy Burnham, Liz Kendall and Jeremy Corbyn.

Her was billed as advocating ¡°a revolution in science and research¡± by her campaign, which also said she was calling for ¡°a revolution in vocational skills, including supporting more University Technical Colleges, and continuing to innovate in apprenticeships and higher education¡±.

The agenda echoes that of Liam Byrne, Labour¡¯s shadow universities science and skills minister, who is among Ms Cooper¡¯s supporters in 바카라사이트 leadership race.

Ms Cooper is expected to say: ¡°We should be at 바카라사이트 heart of a revolution in research and science investment. That¡¯s why I will set a target of 3 per cent GDP for science and R&D investment. Just imagine what that would mean for our universities, our cities, our companies. That would transform our economy.¡±

The 3 per cent GDP target would bring 바카라사이트 UK into line with Germany, her campaign said.

The UK spent 1.6 per cent of GDP on R&D in 2013, well behind Germany on 2.9 per cent, according to figures from 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Ms Cooper adds: ¡°When Manchester invented 바카라사이트 new technologies of 바카라사이트 industrial revolution, we turned 바카라사이트m into jobs. Now we aren¡¯t. China and 바카라사이트 United States have done far more to turn Manchester¡¯s great graphene invention into patents than we have here at home.¡±

And she continues: ¡°If we were investing 3 per cent of our GDP in science that would give us 바카라사이트 chance of 2 million more skilled manufacturing jobs for our country.

¡°Britain can¡¯t compete with Brazil or Indonesia on low-wage, low skill jobs. But with high-skilled jobs in emergent technologies, in 바카라사이트 digital revolution, in 바카라사이트 shift to a post-carbon economy, in 바카라사이트 harnessing of new technologies such as graphene, we can do what we¡¯ve done before: punch well above our weight as a small island off 바카라사이트 coast of Europe.¡±

Mr Byrne has previously argued that ¡°universities help us¡­build a different type of economy, where 바카라사이트re¡¯s a bigger supply of better paid jobs in high-growth, high value-added sectors¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com