On Thursday, May 7th, there will be a general election in the UK. With no clear leader in the polls, it seems that anyone might win. But there is certain to be one loser, whoever walks in to No.10 Downing Street, and that is scientific research.
Whilst the debates flow between the party leaders and commitments run hot with promises to increase health service spending, limit immigration or run a referendum on EU membership, no one is talking about science.
When pressed by scientific bodies and researchers, the party leaders boldly declare non-committal statements, such as this offering from Opposition Leader, Ed Miliband, whose party will “…support businesses to raise levels of investment in training and R&D by providing certainty, improving access to finance, and tackling the short-term pressures facing some of our leading firms.”
These are empty words, and like the other leaders, Miliband promises no concrete government investment in science.
This is surprising for a nation with such a notable history on research and discovery. Whilst the G8 group of leading economies, invests an average of 0.8% of GDP on science, the UK has dropped its investment significantly, to a current rate of 0.6%. That represents a cut of 20% in government science funding in real terms, since the last election in 2010.
This low rate of investment is even more surprising given that data released by the ‘Science is Vital’ foundation, shows that despite the UK having just 1% of world population, it produces 16% of the most influential research papers.
The fact is that scientific research, not only advances our respective societies, as well as mankind as a whole, but it also provides jobs. Something only scientists seem to appreciate.
As Dr. Jenny Rohn of University College London states, “Healthy science is vital to our economic future and prosperity…with neither Labour nor Conservatives (the main parties) pledging to protect research budgets, public-spending cuts could hit labs around the UK.”
Maybe there is political will, but it all gets lost in the politics (and economics) of government. As Einstein said, “Politics is more difficult than Physics.” But then he did seem to make Physics look very easy.
Hopefully, those in Britain will not have to wait 5 years for the next general election to find out if there are politicians willing to support research with real investment. For at present, there are many researchers who predict tough times ahead, and they aren’t all researchers in political science.
UPDATE: 13th May 2015
The Conservative party won just more than half the seats in parliament. You can read more about the changes they have made in the week following the election here, including the appointment of a new Minister for Science and Universities.
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2015/05/tory-election-victory-heralds-new-science-minister-uk