Categories: InnovationResearch

Scientists Warn Brexit Would Damage Research

The UK should stay within the European Union as an exit would be a “disaster” for British science.

This was the stark warning from 150 scientists of the Royal Society, including renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who signed a letter to the Times newspaper.

Disaster For Science

“We now recruit many of our best researchers from continental Europe, including younger ones who have obtained EU grants and have chosen to move with them here,” reads the letter.

“Being able to attract and fund the most talented Europeans assures the future of British science and also encourages the best scientists elsewhere to come here,” said the scientists.

“If the UK leaves the EU and there is a loss of freedom of movement of scientists between the UK and Europe, it will be a disaster for UK science and universities.”

The scientists include three Nobel laureates as well as Professor Hawking. And they warn about the impact on funding in this country, pointing to figures that show the UK received received £2.4 billion more in research grants back from the EU than it paid out.

“Investment in science is as important for the long-term prosperity and security of the UK as investment in infrastructure projects, farming or manufacturing; and the free movement of scientists is as important for science as free trade is for market economics,” said the scientists.

They also pointed to Switzerland, which although it pays into the EU, is now apparently struggling to attract young talent after voting to restrict the free movement of workers.

The letter, organised by Sir Alan Fersht, a University of Cambridge professor who specialises in protein science, is the latest public declaration about the possibility of the UK exiting the EU.

Tech Opposition

Last week tech firms belonging to Tech London Advocates members said they oppose Brexit, because they believe that membership of the EU boosts the UK economy by making it more attractive to international businesses looking to operate in Britain.

British voters go to the polls on 23 June to vote on the issue.

Professor Hawking, meanwhile, has not been afraid of expressing his opinion in recent times

A year ago he warned of the perils of robots and artificial intelligence. He suggested at the time that mankind faces judgement day.

More recently he predicted humanity has just 100 years left before the machines take over.

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Tom Jowitt

Tom Jowitt is a leading British tech freelancer and long standing contributor to Silicon UK. He is also a bit of a Lord of the Rings nut...

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  • If the UK leaves the EU and there is a loss of freedom of movement of scientists between the UK and Europe, it will be a disaster for UK science and universities.”
    lol, so leaving the EU means scientists can no longer travel to the UK ?...really ?
    Scientists are incapable of using passports ?
    Leaving the EU is not leaving Europe...two different things.
    Staying in the EU however ensures that we lose our sovereignty and submit to a dictatorship....that's better ?

    • Scientists may be able to travel to the UK (they can already), but what they will lose - or more to the point, we will lose - is the ability to work in the UK and the ability of UK organisations to hire the best talent from within the EU.
      I currently work in a government-owned and -operated research establishment, a fairly large proportion of my colleagues are EU nationals, a large proportion of our grant funding is from the EU to further the economies of Britain and the EU, particularly in the fields of environmental research, aerospace etc., a recent analysis shows that the "expense" of research is repaid more than tenfold in benefits to the UK and EU economies, benefits that could very well be lost as a result of "Brexit".
      The loss of the EU funding and vital staff is certain to hit research and science, the loss of the collaborative efforts across Europe even more so.
      It's quite noticeable from recent polls that the majority of young, educated people (and not just scientists) are in favour of remaining within the EU, the "outers" tend to be of an older generation or, if younger, less well-educated (those who think that an European with a doctorate in science is competing for jobs against them, with their Grade-C GCSE and ASBO), and many of the conspicuous "out" campaigners are either harking back to a world long gone or have vested interests in an exit: "non-dom" newspaper owners and media barons, for instance.
      As for dicatatorships... We in the UK have a majority government for whom three-quarters of the electorate didn't vote, who are implementing ideological policies not mentioned in their manifesto simply because "they can" - I'm thankful that we have the House of Lords and the EU courts to temper their excesses!

  • Well, they may be great scientists, but clearly they have no understanding of the 'big' picture that will affect everyone else financially and economically.

    Indeed I remember that the Royal Society once issued a statement in the 19th century that man would never fly as nothing could be constructed that was lighter than air. There are many examples of even great people getting it wrong in the history of science and to be overturned a century later.

    Therefore I take what some establishment scientists say with a pinch of salt. That maybe because I am a practical hands-on engineer and not a theoretical scientist.

    I do feel though that there is a great element of self-interest here with funding and that is blinding many scientists to the effect that staying in a failing economic bloc will do for the future fortunes of normal British people. Indeed you only have to look at the very recent situation where the ECB has had to reduce interest rates to unprecedented lows and to issue more EUROs to try and reinvigorate the EU zone.
    Unfortunately it has not happened before and I am sure that flooding the market with more printed currency will not invigorate the EU one iota again.

    The reason, no new wealth is created and where the EURO is worth less as it dilutes the currency's purchasing power with more EUROs in circulation. You don't have to be Hawking to understand that I would respectfully say. Sorry Stephen.

    'Why the 'Innovation Chain' is so Important for the Future World and Why things have to Change for Humanity' - http://worldinnovationfoundation.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/why-innovation-chain-is-so-important.html

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