Science key to global Britain, says Imperial Vice-President at Labour conference

Professor Maggie Dallman joined a panel to discuss ‘global Britain’ at the Labour Party conference.

We are seen as a leader, always pressing for greater ambition Barry Gardiner MP

The event, held this week in Brighton, was initiated by Imperial in partnership with think tank the Institute for Government and the Wellcome Trust.  It set out to explore what Labour party policy on the UK’s role in the world once outside the EU should be, how the UK would have an opportunity to redefine this role and how science needs to be central to this.

Professor Dallman, Imperial’s Vice-President (International) and Associate Provost (Academic Partnerships), was joined on the panel by Barry Gardiner MP, MP for Brent North and Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade and commentators from think tanks and the media. She set out that a global Britain needs investment in science and an open environment that attracts global talent, saying that EU and international researchers and students are the “bedrock of any university.”

She added that the political distinction between alignment with either Europe or the US did not work for science which needs to be universally open to collaboration and that if EU partnerships were diminished, this would affect the quality and standard of UK research.

Barry Gardiner MP highlighted that the net zero target and climate change are a huge area where, like in science, the UK punches above its weight: “We are seen as a leader, always pressing for greater ambition.”

Professor Dallman added that here too UK scientists need to be able to work with anyone across the globe to solve global challenges like climate change.  

Imperial will co-host a similar event at Conservative party conference in Manchester next week.