杏吧原创

AN ESPECIALLY savage attack on Tory policy was busy doing the rounds last week. 鈥淟eaked documents show budget commitments to be betrayed鈥� screamed the headline of a statement from the Shadow minister for science and technology. And John Battle himself warned that government behaviour showed 鈥渘ot just a complete betrayal of trust but a fundamental lack of understanding of the key role science research must play in rebuilding our economy鈥�.

But Battle鈥檚 鈥渓eaked documents鈥� from Sir John Cadogan, director-general of the research councils, are not exactly new. They record that the research councils are going to have to donate part of their budgets to 鈥減riority initiatives鈥�, chosen by the government and of untested quality (see In Brief). This policy shift was announced in February and as we commented, is a slippery slope to allocating research money by government fiat rather than negotiation on the basis of scientific excellence.

But although the Labour Party鈥檚 leak may be six months late, the timing is oddly apt. Last month, the government abruptly moved the Office of Science and Technology to the Department of Trade and Industry with no consultation and scant thought. Even government stalwarts now find it hard to argue that this administration has any real concern for science.

And, better still, Bob May takes up his post as the new Chief 杏吧原创 next week. May has had a brilliant career in basic research and can be expected to have little sympathy for ideological fads that are at odds with the pursuit of excellence.

We hope for some some fighting talk once he is planted behind his desk.