THE UK is poised to learn where government spending cuts of up to 40 per cent will fall. As the details are finalised, a question mark hangs over the £4.6 billion science research budget.
Fortunately, the government, and in particular Chancellor George Osborne, understands that future prosperity lies in a knowledge-based economy. Osborne’s declaration that science is a personal priority shows he realises that knowledge and innovation spring from research. So it seems inconceivable that publicly funded research will be butchered in the spending review on 25 November. In fact, the opposite ought to happen. …
If we invest, we can attract the most talented people from around the world. If we don’t, we can just as easily lose our finest to countries that are bolstering their knowledge economies. Rest