Today Shadow Minister for Science Research and Innovation, Chi Onwurah MP, visited Cambridge University’s world class research facilities to see the ground-breaking research and development occurring there.
The visit comes in the week of the most recent government reshuffle by the Prime Minister, who has followed in the footsteps of his two predecessors and changed the ministerial team in charge of science. There have been nine changes of science minister in the last five years.
At the Whittle Laboratory Chi was greeted by turbines invented by Newcastle hero Charles Parsons, and which still hold pride of place in the lab, as engineers work to decarbonise the aviation industry. Chi also discussed life science research taking place at the Heart and Lung Research Institute at the University.
The Biomedical Campus at Cambridge University houses the £1bn AstraZeneca R&D facility on site, which was opened by King Charles III in 2021 when he was the Prince of Wales.
Following the visit, Chi said
“It’s always great to visit the fantastic facilities around the country that are investing in research and development, helping to drive us forward in our aim to be an innovation nation. Today in Cambridge I saw some wonderful examples of the ways in which research is seeking to enhance our everyday lives.
“The Tories still are not serious about science. We’ve had broken manifesto promises, two reorganisations of UKRI, no association with Horizon, and now a reorganisation of government departments.
“Labour believes such scientific research is critical not only to our humanity but also to the high wage, high growth and more productive economy we want to see. Labour would invest in science and R&D to stoke the engine of high-skilled growth, to access new and diverse talent pools, and to catalyse regions which have been left out of science investment.”
This article is a press release from the office of Chi Onwurah, MP
