DHAKA: Leaving the EU poses a ‘key risk’ to British science, a group of 13 Nobel prize-winning scientists have warned.

The group, which includes Peter Higgs, who predicted the existence of the Higgs boson particle and geneticist Sir Paul Nurse, say the loss of EU funding would put UK research ‘in jeopardy’, reports the BBC.

‘Inside the EU, Britain helps steer the biggest scientific powerhouse in the world,’ the group claim.

Vote Leave said it was a ‘myth’ that funding came from Brussels.

In a letter to the Daily Telegraph the group said science should be ‘front and centre in the EU debate’ as it was a key driver in health, innovation and economic growth.

‘The EU contains a critical mass of expertise, with more than one in five of the world’s researchers moving freely within its boundaries.’

‘EU decisions about scientific policy, funding and regulatory frameworks affect science the world over, and are influenced by British scientists. On the inside, Britain has access to people and funding and wields global scientific influence, far greater than we have alone.’

The signatories also include Sir Martin Evans, awarded for his work into stem cells and Sir Andre Geim who won a Nobel prize for groundbreaking work on graphene, a material expected to revolutionize manufacturing.

BDST: 1200 HRS, JUN 11, 2016
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