Reactions to Johnson victory roll in from research community

Higher education and business voices have outlined their hopes for the premiership of Boris Johnson after his victory over Jeremy Hunt in the Conservative leadership election.

As Johnson sets about selecting members of his cabinet and prepares to move into Downing Street on 24 July, Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute, has urged him to develop a “long-term plan” to deliver the government’s commitment of investing 2.4 per cent of GDP in R&D by 2027. 

Crucial to this is training and attracting scientists, he said. “The UK must stay open to the world, so that skilled scientists want to come and work here and are able to do so. That means sending out much more welcoming messages but also cutting the paperwork.”