The UK’s science minister was told the day before a crunch visit to Brussels that he would be unable to meet a top European Union representative to make the case for continuing association to Horizon Europe, according to an official.
George Freeman had said the UK was “still committed” to joining the €95.5 billion (£81.6 billion) research programme and billed his 8 June Eurostar dash as “a last round of talks to highlight that time is running out”.
But Times Higher Education understands that a month-old request for Mr Freeman to meet with leading European Commission officials was declined the day before the trip, leaving him to deliver his arguments to an audience at the UK ambassador’s residence.
