Tomorrow there will be a general election in the UK. Science, perhaps not surprisingly, is not making the headlines in these turbulent economic times.
But nevertheless, in many ways there is much to be optimistic about. This election is the first time all the parties have included science funding in their manifesto. There have been debates between important scientists and politicians in prestigious places. I was pleased to find that all the science spokesmen for the three main parties were educated in science to at least degree level.
The media have covered science fairly extensively too, all things considered. Notably the Guardian newspaper has run an excellent series about science policy in the election featuring interviews with all the parties standing at the election.
I say all parties, but one is notably missing. For we are seeing for the first time a candidate from the latest political party, The Science Party.
Dr Michael Brooks leader of the science party is standing against local MP for Bosworth David Tredinnick after a series of outrageously anti-science incidents. Mr Tredinnick has recently been opposing the government’s report into the inefficacy of homeopathy; Mr Tredinnick was also found to have spent hundreds of pounds of MPs expenses on astrology software; and in a debate last week accused scientists of being “racially prejudiced” if they questioned the efficacy of Chinese and Indian healthcare systems that use homeopathy and astrology and take into account the phases of the moon.
This would be alarming enough from one MP but in addition, 70 MPs have signed Mr Tredinnick’s motion to have the report into homeopathy ignored.
To quote Dr Brooks,
It’s a sign that many MPs do not take science seriously enough”.
“David Tredinnick is the thick end of the wedge, but there are plenty of MPs who dismiss scientific results,” Brooks says. “When you are making decisions about what kind of healthcare our country can offer its people, that is potentially disastrous.”
Hooray for the science party! Today Bosworth. Tomorrow the world.
Esther Crooks
Interesting initiative! In Swedish news we have heard a lot about the liberal-democrats and the new 3-big-parties-situation in British politics. But I wonder why they didn’t report on the Science party?
Interesting initiative! In Swedish news we have heard a lot about the liberal-democrats and the new 3-big-parties-situation in British politics. But I wonder why they didn’t report on the Science party?
To be honest there has not been that much coverage in the UK media! The British electoral system is such that you vote for an MP in your constituency only and so you can only vote for the Science Party in Bosworth where their one and only candidate is standing. And I hope they do vote for him there!
To be honest there has not been that much coverage in the UK media! The British electoral system is such that you vote for an MP in your constituency only and so you can only vote for the Science Party in Bosworth where their one and only candidate is standing. And I hope they do vote for him there!
Sounds like a waste of time. Try to vote in profiled science supporters in the main parties instead.
Sounds like a waste of time. Try to vote in profiled science supporters in the main parties instead.