Thread by @martinrsmith

There's some brilliant rhetoric in today's Integrated Review about the UK's ambitions for science.

But there's a growing gulf between the rhetoric and reality on the ground when it comes to funding... 1/🧵

Press release w comments from @JeremyFarrar 👇 wellcome.org/news/science-s…

2/ The Integrated Review says that science will be at the heart of alliances and partnerhips worldwide, and we will "continue to use ODA [aid spending] to support R&D partnerships with developing countries.

But...

3/ UKRI is facing a £120m shortfall as a result of ODA cuts, which they're expecting to lead to grant terminations - researchers having to abandon projects they've started.
ukri.org/our-work/ukri-…

4/ Meanwhile NIHR is facing a 28% cut in its global health schemes.
researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-res…

5/ There's still no clarity on how UK participation in Horizon Europe will be paid for - if it just comes from the R&D budget we're looking at a hidden cut for research of more than £1bn.
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questi…

6/ Wellcome has been calling for money for Horizon Europe to be earmarked for years - in Budgets and Spending Reviews - but it hasn't happened.

7/ The government needs to fund its priorities sufficiently if it's going to meet them. It needs to will the means, not just the ends.

I'm a huge fan of the words and ambitions in the IR, as they reflect a lot of what we've been calling for. But cuts are not what's needed now.

Lots of concern in the research community about the contrast between what's being said and what's happening - here's @sciencecampaign

https://twitter.com/sciencecampaign/status/1371867554826891269?s=20

Looking forward to seeing what @KwasiKwarteng has to say about this at @CommonsSTC tomorrow morning, and food for @DanielZeichner's Westminster Hall debate on R&D funding tomorrow afternoon.

More sector reaction, with a strong letter from @UniversitiesUK

https://twitter.com/UniversitiesUK/status/1371874700637388804

.@UniversitiesUK urging the Prime Minister to intervene in the discussions between HMT and BEIS over where the money for Horizon Europe will come from. "These cuts would represent a grave strategic error"

google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.ft.c…