Leading scientists have expressed dismay over reports that Rishi Sunak has put off a decision on rejoining Horizon Europe until the autumn.
Hopes that the UK would rejoin the European Union’s €95 billion (£81 billion) flagship research scheme have been raised in recent weeks after a draft deal over the cost of UK membership was agreed by negotiators from London and Brussels.
But the expected sign-off by the UK prime minister did not arrive in Lithuania this month when Mr Sunak met European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at a Nato summit, amid reports from the Politico website that he did not want to be “boxed in” by the leaked details of the Horizon deal. According to the Financial Times, the prime minister is now set to delay a decision on Horizon Europe until after the summer holidays.
Adrian Smith, president of the Royal Society, told the FT: “This news, if true, will fill the science community with dismay. The basics of the Horizon association deal were put in place two and a half years ago.
