UK

Stephen Hawking: Staying in EU will protect scientific research

Supporters of the Vote Remain campaign attend the launch of the Britain Stronger in Europe guarantee card at Roehampton University in West London. Picture by Yui Mok, Press Associaton
Supporters of the Vote Remain campaign attend the launch of the Britain Stronger in Europe guarantee card at Roehampton University in West London. Picture by Yui Mok, Press Associaton Supporters of the Vote Remain campaign attend the launch of the Britain Stronger in Europe guarantee card at Roehampton University in West London. Picture by Yui Mok, Press Associaton

BRITAIN needs to stay in the European Union to protect its scientific research from being undermined by austerity cuts, Stephen Hawking has said.

The world-famous theoretical physicist, who is living with motor neurone disease (MND), also warned that the UK would become "culturally isolated and insular" if Brexit limited the scope for foreign exchanges.

"There are two obvious reasons why we should stay in," Professor Hawking said of the science case - which he said came on top of arguments that staying in is better for security and the wider economy.

"The first is that it promotes the mobility of people. Students can come here from EU countries to study, and our students can go to other EU universities," he told ITV's Good Morning Britain.

"More importantly, at the level of research, the exchange of people enables skills to transfer more quickly, and brings new people with different ideas, derived from their different backgrounds.

"Without this exchange, we would become more culturally isolated and insular, and ultimately more remote from where progress is being made.

"The other reason is financial. The European Research Council has given large grants to UK institutions, either to foster research, or to promote exchanges.

"These grants are in addition to those given by the traditional UK research councils, which seem to be becoming progressively starved of resources, by a government intent on short-term cuts, without attention to the longer term consequences."

He went on: "Gone are the days we could stand on our own, against the world. We need to be part of a larger group of nations, both for our security, and our trade."

Prof Hawking also said the popularity of "demagogue" Donald Trump was beyond his understanding.

Asked if his knowledge of the universe meant he could explain the tycoon's appeal, he replied: "I can't. He is a demagogue, who seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator."

Meanwhile, Dragons' Den stars said they would not back the "reckless risk" of leaving the EU as the Remain camp claimed 1.2 million smaller firms would be directly affected.

A group of seven past and present members of the TV show's panel of leading entrepreneurs said they favoured staying "in" because Brexit posed a "serious risk" to the UK economy.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid will appear with one of the dragons - Piers Linney - at an event in Birmingham to press for a 'remain' vote.

Mr Javid - who has been accused by former cabinet colleague Iain Duncan Smith of privately backing divorce from Brussels - will use the event to warn of the impact on small businesses.

The statement from the Dragons was signed by James Caan, Hilary Devey, Kelly Hoppen, Touker Suleyman, Sarah Willingham, Simon Woodroffe and Mr Linney.

"Leaving the EU constitutes a serious risk - to the British economy as a whole and to millions of businesses, including start-ups, small firms and larger corporations," the statement read.