‘Unprecedented’ joint demand for Tory R&D commitment

Businesses, campaign organisations, universities and charities have joined forces to demand Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt pledge their support for the government’s R&D commitments.

Cancer Research UK, the Confederation of British Industry, the Royal Society, vice-chancellors’ group Universities UK and seven others say whichever of the two men wins the race to lead the Conservative party and therefore the country must “deliver a concrete and overdue vision for UK research and development”.

“This should build on the government target to boost overall R&D investment initially to 2.4 per cent of GDP by 2027—and the longer-term aim of 3 per cent of GDP,” they say in an open letter published on 27 June.