The Royal Society welcomes new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

Responding to the news of the appointment of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, said: 

“In these challenging times, the commitment to significantly strengthen the UK’s research and innovation capabilities remains critical to the national interest. 

“In his 2021 Spending Review, we welcomed the then Chancellor’s uplift to the science budget. Now, as Prime Minister, he must prioritise the investment, skills and support for international collaboration that will allow science and innovation to thrive, and drive productivity and growth across all the UK’s nations and regions.

“Now is no time to be rowing back on investing in one of the key areas of competitive edge that the UK has. Science, technology and innovation belong at the heart of government. 

“The Prime Minister has previously expressed support for the government’s goal in securing Horizon Europe association and he has championed the global talent agenda. However, two years on, we are still waiting. We need to secure association as a priority if the UK is to remain at the forefront of research and innovation.”