Following Theresa May’s speech speech outlining her Brexit strategy, Daniel Zeichner MP issued the following statement:

“Theresa May has proven once again she does not understand the needs of the education, research and scientific communities, nor does she understand the damage that she risks doing to environmental standards across Europe. By admitting that she will take Britain out of the Single Market, she will severely damage places like Cambridge, which rely heavily on students, academics, and workers from the EU as well as broader cooperation with our European partners.

“I stated following the result in June that I would vote against any attempt to take Cambridge and Britain out of the European Union. I want to reassure residents that I will continue to oppose Brexit in Parliament. Leaving the EU in this way is the wrong option for Cambridge’s economy and it will damage the country as a whole. 

“As I have said before, I will continue to vote against triggering Article 50 and I will continue to oppose any attempt to damage our relationships with our European neighbours and our dynamic local research infrastructure and our local economy”.

Speaking in the Commons today, Daniel Zeichner MP raised the issue of EU research programmes with David Davis MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. Citing the example of Switzerland, who under threat of a deadline just a few weeks away reached a deal which allows them full participation to such programmes, including access to European Research Council grants, but in exchange had to accept free movement, with some tweaks.

Arguing that the Prime Minister had offered no plans for our research and university sector in her speech today, Daniel Zeichner MP asked: “Just how much damage is this Government prepared to countenance to one of our key sectors?” A question to which he received no answer.

You can watch the full exchange here: http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/3c0c9dc5-da47-4439-8065-3a2f2aac9433?in=15:13:00&out=15:14:13