Science or stagnation?: Next steps for life sciences policy in England
Article
The UK lags behind global leaders on R&D investment.
This is despite a recent, sudden ONS methodological change significantly revising up estimates of UK research investment, more through luck than judgement. Stagnation in the UK economy demands a more research- and innovation-intensive economy.
As such, we need a new, stretching R&D investment target. In recommitting the UK to global leadership on research, there is a particular opportunity to prioritise the life sciences.
Doing better requires a more ‘activist’ government – with a role in enabling, funding and deriving value from life science research and innovation.
Related items
A ‘mandate’ to deliver: Who voted Labour and what do they want?
This year’s general election saw the Labour party achieve a historic landslide, winning 218 new seats and a comfortable majority in the House of Commons.Half of us: Turnout patterns at the 2024 general election
One-half of adults in this country voted at the 2024 general election, the lowest share of the population to vote since universal suffrage.Migration and asylum: The first 100 days
The new Labour government inherits a daunting in-tray on immigration and asylum policy, where the problems are acute, complex, and contentious.