Sir Paul Nurse warns against Brexit
Sir Paul Nurse, head of London’s new Francis Crick Institute, has warned against the consequences for British science should the country vote to leave the European Union on 23 June.
The Nobel laureate said a British exit would make it more difficult for scientists in the UK to win research funding and would sell “future generations short”.
His remarks follow a letter last week in the Financial Times signed by more than 50 biotech and pharmaceuticals chief executives and another in the Sunday Times, signed by 103 university leaders – both warning against leaving the Union.
“We need a vision for our future that is ambitious and not to run away and bury our heads in the sand, and we can best do this by staying in the EU. We should not be side-tracked by short-term political opportunism,” Sir Paul said.
He made the comments at a news briefing on the consequences of withdrawing from the EU, where he was flanked by other prominent scientists also advocating for continued membership of the Union.
“Being in the EU gives us access to ideas, people and to investment in science,” he continued. “That, combined with mobility (of EU scientists), gives us increased collaboration, increased transfer of people, ideas and science – all of which, history has shown us, drives science.”
Only by remaining in the EU can the UK have any influence in directing research on the global stage alongside the other “powerhouses” (e.g. the US and China) of science, Sir Paul added.
According to the Office for National Statistics, the UK gave €78bn to the EU between 2007 and 2013, €5.4bn of which was allocated to the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development; in return, the UK received €8.8bn in research funding from the EU.
