Researchers hold their breath as MPs pass Brexit deal

EU withdrawal bill clears Commons reading in victory for Boris Johnson

Researchers head into the Christmas period amid rising concern over their future relationships with European colleagues, after MPs passed the prime minister’s Brexit deal.

The 20 December vote came amid fears over the impact of leaving the European Union on the UK’s research base, with Royal Society president Venki Ramakrishnan recently warning that the fallout from Brexit could “cripple the UK for at least a generation”.