Write to your MP
We're asking you to write to your member of parliament urging them to press the government to fill the black hole in STFC's budget.
Don't have time to write to your MP? Please consider signing the petition at petitions.pm.gov.uk/Physics-Funding.
Does it really matter? Yes! We know from previous campaigns that MPs listen to their constituents. They almost certainly don't realise that you - who could vote for them at the next election - care about the status of astronomy in the UK. The more of you who tell them you do care, the more pressure there will be on the government to put this right. It's much better if you can write your own letter rather than cutting or pasting, but you might want to bear the following things in mind.
- The black hole that's opened in the STFC budget was not caused by astronomers - champagne hasn't been flowing from observatory taps, we promise! It seems to be due to the increasing costs of our other commitments, particularly to facilities like Diamond that have nothing to do with astronomy.
- £80 million is a small amount when set against the full STFC budget for three years, yet it has a huge effect on basic research in this country.
- The government may well try to point out that STFC's budget has increased. This is true, but due to a change in accounting procedures (known as Full Economic Costing or FEC) less money is being spent on research. The increase in budget is an illusion.
- The people who use the threatened facilities and whose grants are being cut also teach university physics. The government has said that it needs to encourage people to take physics at university, and yet is damaging the very people it needs to help it achieve that goal.
- Astronomy is inspiring - hopefully that's why you're here. Many astronomers work very hard to raise the public profile of science in general, helping inspire the next generation of scientists.
We discourage form letters because we feel that personal letters will have more affect. Personal letters also allow you to highlight any local institutions that will be affected by the proposed cuts. If you need some inspiration, here is an example of a letter sent to an MP in Edinburgh.
Once you've written to your MP we would be grateful if you could tell us the name of the MP that you have written to. Here is a list of MPs that have been written to so far.