POLL: Should UK walk away from EU’s Horizon programme?

Rishi Sunak and von der Leyen discuss Horizon Europe

Under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Windsor Framework Brexit deal, the UK was set to rejoin the European Union’s £82billion Horizon Europe science cooperation programme — but the UK’s future in the scheme is in doubt.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has said that the UK’s involvement in Horizon is dependent on the benefit to taxpayers and that talks are currently looking at “crunchy” details.

During a visit to Brussels, Mr Hunt said of the negotiations: “I wouldn’t describe them as stalled. I think that they are becoming more crunchy as we start to work out precisely what terms for participation in Horizon would be fair to UK taxpayers and work for the UK.

“But I think both sides recognise that it is a successful and very important programme and the optimal outcome will be to find a way where participation can work for the UK.”

Horizon Europe is a collaboration between Europe’s leading research institutes and technology companies and the UK left the scheme as part of Brexit, meaning that British scientists and researchers are no longer eligible to receive funding support.

READ MORE: Brexit deal outrage after EU pulls rug from under UK over £82bn scheme

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Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has criticised the Windsor Framework and called for the UK to abandon the “ridiculous idea” of rejoining and instead set up its own science hub.

He told Express.co.uk: “This is just another example of the EU always playing hardball. We have given them everything and they have given nothing in return.”

Speaking about the UK walking away from Horizon, he explained: “The EU is scared stiff of us sucking away scientists from them to us. That’s why they want us locked into Horizon on their terms.

“The fact is that the only reason anyone invested in Horizon was because the British were involved. We have a much better scientific research base than the EU and scientists and investors want to come to the UK. If we go it alone we could be a scientific superpower on our own without the EU.”

So what do YOU think? Should the UK walk away from Horizon Europe? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comment section below.

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