PM’s dithering on re-joining Horizon means UK science will fall further behind

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is further delaying a crucial decision to re-join the EU’s Horizon research programme, according to a report in the Financial Times (£).

Horizon is the European Union’s €100bn (£85bn) science, research and innovation programme, which the UK had to leave after Brexit, and as a direct result, many UK-based scientists and researchers subsequently lost critical funding for their projects.

The UK’s scientific community, as has Prospect, has long-called for the UK to re-join Horizon, however negotiations for the UK to assume associate membership have dragged on for many months.

Hopes were raised recently that a breakthrough had been reached and was merely waiting the PM’s final stamp of approval. However, the FT now reports that any decision will not be made until ‘after summer.’

Responding to the latest developments, Prospect Deputy General Secretary Garry Graham said:

“The Prime Minister’s failure to make a decision on re-joining Horizon is a significant missed opportunity for UK science and innovation.

“Being outside of the Horizon programme has been hugely damaging to UK science. Not just for our world-class universities, but also for R&D-intensive public sector agencies and private sector firms who have a critical role to play in making the UK the science and tech superpower the Government say it aspires to.

“Collaboration across borders is vital to outstanding research, and to attracting and retaining global talent.

“Re-entering Horizon is an essential to restoring Britain’s position at the cutting edge of international research. The longer we wait, the further we will fall behind.”