In the run up to the 2015 General Election, CaSE sought to inform politicians and voters on the key issues relating to science & engineering and to raise the political profile of science as an election issue. Our work included gathering views from the sector in opinion forums, detailed research and analysis resulting in three election briefings, writing to the leaders of political parties and publishing their responses, making recommendations for parties to adopt if elected, hearing from the parties' science spokespeople at our cross-party debate and analysing key commitments from each party from their letters and manifestos. CaSE also invited all prospective parliamentary candidates to write for our blog setting out how they would champion science & engineering if elected.

Letters from Party Leaders

  • Leader of the Conservative Party

    David Cameron

    “We are proud that the UK is a world-leader in science and engineering and by investing in infrastructure and research, encouraging innovation and nurturing engineering talent, the Conservative Party will ensure the UK’s science and engineering industry remains one of the world’s best”

    Read the full letter from David Cameron.

  • Leader of the Labour Party

    Ed Miliband

    "The UK’s strong science and engineering base is one of our greatest assets as a nation, with an unparalleled record of invention and innovation driven by world-leading firms and universities”

    Read the full letter from the leader of the Labour Party.

  • Leader of the Liberal Democrats

    Nick Clegg

    “The Liberal Democrats recognise that science and engineering skills, and innovation drive improvements in quality of life and wellbeing, as well as economic success.”

    Read the full letter from the Liberal Democrat Leader.

  • Green Party Leader

    Natalie Bennett

    “The Green Party wants to double public spending on research over the next 10 years, reaching 1% of GDP, (the level reached or neared by South Korea, the US and France), with a focus on adequately funded basic research”

    Read the full letter from the Green Party Leader.

  • UKIP Leader

    Nigel Farage

    “UKIP has pledged to abolish tuition fees for STEM degrees for students who work within the UK for the following five years after graduating”

    Read the full letter from the UKIP Leader.

  • Plaid Cymru

    Policy Office

    “Plaid Cymru affirms that harnessing science and technology in the service of both humanity and the environment is crucial to the long term health of both our local and the global environment. We want to place Wales at the forefront of environmentally sound and socially responsible technical innovations”

    Read the full letter from Plaid Cymru.

  • Scottish National Party

    Office of the Scottish Chief Scientific Advisor

    “The Scottish Government recognises that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are key to achieving the overall goal of creating a more successful Scotland and are committed to positioning Scotland as a nation of innovation”

    Read the full letter from the SNP.

  • Alliance Party Leader

    David Ford

    “Science is a policy area which is spread across both devolved- and non-devolved areas and we are committed to ensuring that the potential for science in Northern Ireland is maximised”

    Read the full letter from the Alliance Party.

  • SDLP

    Policy Office

    “Science is a policy area which is spread across both devolved- and non-devolved areas and we are committed to ensuring that the potential for science in Northern Ireland is maximised”

    Read the full letter from the SDLP.

  • DUP Science Spokesperson

    Sammy Wilson

    “I fully understand the importance of investment in these areas of the economy. It is something which as a Party we have given priority to through the Northern Ireland Executive”

    Read the full letter from the DUP.

Manifesto Analysis

CaSE's election messages

  • Top ten actions booklet

    #championSTEM

    The booklet aims to simply outline why and how MPs could #championSTEM within Parliament. 

  • Investment

    CaSE election briefing

    Read the full briefing articulating tangible actions the next Government could take to strengthen science and engineering in the UK including public investment in research and innovation, international comparisons, the case for investment in R&D.

  • Education & Skills

    CaSE election briefing

    Read the full briefing articulating tangible actions the next Government could take to strengthen science and engineering in the UK including 5-19 education, further and higher education, immigration and diversity.

  • Science Advice in Public Policy

    CaSE election briefing

    Read the full briefing articulating tangible actions the next Government could take to strengthen science and engineering in the UK including Parliamentary scrutiny, the CSA network and departmental R&D.

CaSE cross-party science debate

  • CaSE cross party debate

    14th January 2015

    On 14th January 2015 CaSE brought together the science spokespeople of the three main parties to debate which party would best promote science and engineering if they were to gain power in the 2015 general election.

    Catch up on all the discussion from the debate.

CaSE response to the election result