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Ahead of the March for Science, taking place in Bristol and other cities tomorrow, Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP for the South West and parliamentary candidate for the Bristol West constituency, said:
“I am delighted to join this important march for science in Bristol. The city has a long and proud tradition of scientific leadership and is the world’s largest hub for wildlife film making. The fact that Bristol plays host to a great deal of environmental innovation and jobs was key to Bristol being selected as European Green Capital.
“Like many others, I am therefore disturbed by the recent denigration of science and expertise in our own country and particularly in the US. It is through scientific research that we have been alerted to some of the most serious environmental crises confronting us from climate change to air pollution and the impact of chemical farming on wildlife.
“My political work would be impossible without the information and data that rigorous scientific research provides. Indeed, my role as a politician involves making calculated judgements based on that scientific knowledge.
“The number of international students applying to study in the UK has fallen since Brexit, with many saying it is now less welcoming. This not only impacts on the UK now with the loss of these students and the benefits they bring, but could mean in the longer term they are less likely to come to carry out postgraduate research in the UK once they have graduated.”
“We need to defend the role of an independent and pluralistic scientific community and ensure that science in Bristol and throughout the UK is properly funded after we withdraw from the EU. The alarm has already been raised about the threat to the UK scientific research community from Brexit, an issue I have raised with Minister of State for Universities and Science, Jo Johnson. As Greens we will hold this government to account on their promise of making as much funding available to universities as they have received from the EU.”