On Tuesday, Rishi Sunak is scheduled to hold talks with the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, at a Nato summit in Vilnius. The meeting will be scrutinised with uncharacteristic care by British scientists. They are praying, fervently, that the prime minister will use the occasion – as has been hinted – to announce his approval of a renegotiated agreement that will allow Britain to rejoin the Horizon Europe research programme.
Such a deal, researchers insist, is vital for British science. Brexit forced our withdrawal from the EU scheme, terminated our academics’ access to its gigantic funding pot and prevented the UK from playing a leading role in directing the course of European science. Now we have chance to rejoin Horizon, reboot our sorely depleted research coffers and rekindle our influence in international science.
A lot is at stake. Between 2007 and 2013, the UK contributed £4.3bn towards Horizon. In return we got £7bn in research funding, a £2.7bn excess that represented grants worth more than £300m a year for our scientists, a bonus that reflected the excellence of their international reputations. Our scientists were also able to play key roles in directing programmes and to lead international projects that have ranged from AI research to life sciences and climate change investigations.
All that ended with Brexit. European funds dried up and UK researchers had to give up their leadership of Horizon projects. British science suffered grievously, a vivid illustration of the harm wrought by our EU exit. The fact that our diplomats have succeeded in finding a formula to restore our scientific fortunes should therefore be a cause for celebration.
Yet senior scientists remain cautious, and for good reasons. According to Downing Street sources, Sunak is still attracted by an alternative, UK-led research programme, drawn up by the science minister, George Freeman. Known as Pioneer, this would provide sufficient cash for Britain to continue with its own healthy science programme. “Larger, longer and more flexible awards than Horizon equivalents” would be provided, it is promised.
Most scientists ridicule such assertions. Horizon Europe has put aside funds worth £85bn for 2021-27. The UK simply cannot match such an investment. In any case, going it alone with Pioneer would still deprive the UK of the chance to collaborate internationally or share research findings or allow us to play a major role in directing major scientific programmes. The words of Sir Paul Nurse, the Nobel laureate and head of the Francis Crick Institute in London, should be noted in this context: “Everywhere where science and technology matter will be damaged if we don’t associate with Europe’s Horizon programme.”
It is worrying that Sunak still appears undecided about how to save British science. Our researchers have endured years of blocked collaborations, which need to be restored as matters of urgency. They also need to be allowed to repeat their past successes at competing for EU funds.
Yet Downing Street last week insisted that no deal had been agreed to return the UK to Horizon, and that Pioneer remained a plausible option – despite the fact that nearly every scientist in the country derides the notion. On Tuesday, they will find out whether Sunak is still dithering or has finally understood that there is only one way to restore UK science’s fortunes – and that is by rejoining Europe’s Horizon programme.
