More than 150 public figures have signed an open letter calling for the UK government to reverse its decision to cut funding for the Jodrell Bank observatory.
The UK government is withdrawing approximately £2.8m in annual funding from the observatory. Without alternative funding, scientific observations at Jodrell Bank are expected to cease on 1 April 2028.
Positions at risk due to the funding cuts
The funding cuts place twenty-eight jobs at risk at the observatory. The UK Research and Innovation agency (UKRI) stated it must focus on projects that deliver the greatest long-term impact.
Broader research cuts
The UK will cease participation in research at the James Clark Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii and has cut funding for two instruments on the Extremely Large Telescope in Chile.
The UKRI is also withdrawing funding for upgrades to experiments at the Large Hadron Collider. Paula Collins, the LHCb deputy spokesperson at Cern, stated that withdrawing previously secured funding for the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) upgrade has shocked international partners.
Absolutely central to creating a better future for the UK
