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
-
Briefing - Science policy in the 2015 General Election
CaSE manifesto and speech analysis
We look at what each party has been saying on science and engineering policy, in their manifestos, speeches, and out on the election trail in this comprehensive briefing.
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
-
CaSE responds to the election result
8th May 2015
CaSE responded to the election result with a press release and publication of a briefing on what a Conservative government could mean for science and engineering.
-
Championing science and engineering
Shortly after the result, CaSE published a short briefing summarising the strong evidence for the value of public investment in science and engineering
-
MPs to Watch
Analysis of which new MPs have a background or interest in STEMM and which MPs have either stepped down or not been re-elected. You can also find a full list of MPs to watch.
-
Ministers to watch
Analysis of the key ministers for science and engineering in the new Government, as well as a full list of Minister to watch. You can also read our press release welcoming Jo Johnson as the new Universities and Science Minister.