MPs across Greater Manchester and Cheshire have spoken out in support of a Manchester Evening News campaign to save space science at Jodrell Bank, as funding cuts threaten the working future of the observatory's iconic and much-loved Grade I-listed Lovell Telescope. One called Jodrell Bank 'a cornerstone of British scientific history for decades' and said the cuts were 'wrong'. Others said they have contacted Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds MP directly, calling on him to 'urgently review the decisions' and calling the cuts 'a huge blow to our international research position'.
MPs rally to support observatory
The Manchester Evening News has contacted constituency MPs of all parties to ask them whether they would support the campaign and for their views on the funding cuts. Many haven't responded, including Housing Secretary and Ashton-under-Lyne MP Angela Rayner and Wigan MP and Cabinet minister Lisa Nandy. But those who did spoke with passion about the need to save space science at Jodrell Bank, with a number revealing they have visited the observatory on the Cheshire plains in person after the news broke.
Afzal Khan, the Labour MP for Rusholme, visited the site last week and said: "Jodrell Bank is a Manchester landmark famous across the world and is fundamental in the research of nearly 3,000 scientists that depend on it, many of whom are based at the universities in my constituency. It has been a cornerstone of British scientific history for decades and it deserves its place in the future of British space exploration too. At a time when we are at the forefront of the space age, it would be wrong for such an important piece of technology to be closed."
Funding cut details and impact
It comes as the M.E.N. campaign nears 10,000 signatories. Rebecca Long-Bailey, the Labour MP for Salford, has written to Business Secretary Mr Reynolds and said she supports calls to protect Jodrell Bank and the wider scientific research capacity affected by the funding decisions. She called on the Government to work with UK Research and Innovation to urgently review the decision.
Ms Long-Bailey wrote: "The UK's portfolio in research and innovation is one of our greatest assets both in terms of our internal economy, knowledge building and technological advances, but also in terms of our position on the international stage. Up until now, the UK has become widely regarded as being one of the world leaders in particle physics, astronomy, and nuclear research, fields which are truly pushing the boundaries and challenging the limitations of what we know and understand about the universe. However, these funding cuts deal a huge blow to our international research position in these scientific areas. Despite reassurances, crucial facilities and high profile projects are under threat, jobs are being lost, and scientific investment and capability that has been built over years is being wiped away."
The University of Manchester, which manages the observatory, said the funding cut to the e-Merlin project - worth around £2.8m a year - would mean the end of the Lovell Telescope as an 'active scientific instrument for radio astronomy' by March 2028, and the loss of 28 jobs. The Lovell Telescope opened in 1957 and remains the largest in the UK. It's part of the e-Merlin array, a network of telescopes up and down the country which is operated by the university from the site on the Cheshire plains.
Politicians from all parties speak out
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) said e-Merlin would not be prioritised for further funding by the Science and Technology Facilities Council after its current agreement ends in March 2028. The decision puts the functioning of the Lovell Telescope and the e-Merlin array of telescopes - and the science being worked on within them, at risk. Esther McVey, the Conservative MP for Tatton, Cheshire, said: "It is nothing short of scientific vandalism to force the closure of one of the world-leading centres for astrophysics. If we want to develop skills and encourage science-based industries in this country, not shutting them down as this government seems to do. The funding for the research taking place at Jodrell Bank totals £2.8million per year, this is a drop in the ocean compared to the £10bn annual budget of the UKRI. I have written to the government asking them to reverse their decision. Andy Burnham, who insists on his love of the north, is stopping funding for a cutting-edge scientific facility in the heart of the north and run by none-other than the University of Manchester. What happened to his Manchesterism?”
Jeff Smith, the Labour MP for Manchester Withington, told the M.E.N. that he supports the campaign to maintain scientific research at Jodrell Bank, and is supporting Cheshire-based MPs Sarah Russell and Tim Roca 'in working to get the best solution to achieve this'. Tom Morrison MP, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cheadle, backed the M.E.N.'s campaign. "Downing Street can say Jodrell Bank isn't closing, but that's not how it feels to the people who work there, or to the scientists whose research depends on it," he said. "e-Merlin, the national network Jodrell Bank controls, has already lost its funding, and without it the observatory loses the active scientific work that gives it its national and international significance. If you strip out the science and call what's left 'not closed', that's closure by another name. I fully support the Manchester Evening News' campaign, and I've signed the petition myself. I'd urge anyone who cares about Jodrell Bank to do the same. I'm not alone in Parliament either, nine MPs from across the North West are now backing a cross-party letter to the Business Secretary and Science Minister calling on the Government to step in and find a sustainable funding solution. This has brought together Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green MPs from across the region, and I'd welcome colleagues from other parties adding their names too. This should be above party politics. It's about whether Britain is willing to fight for one of its most important scientific assets, or let it go for the sake of a rounding error in the national research budget."
Yasmin Qureshi, the Labour MP for Bolton South and Walkden, also backed the campaign. She said: "Jodrell Bank is a vital part of our regional infrastructure, and the observatory is not only a landmark for all of us, but it is also at the heart of the UK’s contribution to space exploration, supporting both American and Soviet space missions. It has seen some of the wonders of the cosmos, and contributed to our understanding of the universe. I think that it would be a shame if the site were to cease operating as a working observatory, and I support the campaign by the MEN, backed by leading scientists and astronauts, to keep it operating."
Joint statement and response from UKRI
In a joint statement, Cheshire-based MPs Sarah Russell, Tim Rocca, Connor Naismith and Andrew Cooper, said: "Jodrell Bank is the jewel in the crown of Cheshire’s science corridor. The visitor centre is funded separately to the scientific work that happens there, and is under no threat from the decision of the UKRI funding body. Children will still be able to gaze up at the magnificent Lovell Telescope and dream of the stars. We all believe though, that it’s really important that Jodrell continues its cutting-edge astronomy. We have all corresponded with ministers on this issue, and are working together to ask the government to look at how Jodrell Bank can be funded for the long term."
A spokesperson for funding body UK Research and Innovation said: “STFC has undertaken a rigorous prioritisation process to focus investment on the areas that will deliver the greatest long-term scientific capability, impact and value for the UK, while maintaining a sustainable PPAN portfolio. The decision to withdraw funding from e-MERLIN at the end of its current funding agreement is the result of a comprehensive, evidence-based prioritisation process. As part of this, STFC is focusing investment on the areas that will deliver the greatest long-term scientific capability and value, including the next generation of world-leading radio astronomy facilities. STFC continues to invest in Jodrell Bank's future through its support for the UK's hosting of the SKAO headquarters, which is already delivering significant benefits to the University of Manchester and the North West. The current e-MERLIN funding agreement runs until March 2028, providing time to explore alternative funding arrangements." The Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement, the visitor centre, is a separate entity and is not at risk as a result of the cuts.
