Jon Butterworth

Open Letter about Cuts to UK Theoretical Physics Funding

I am remiss in having forgotten until now to circulate an open letter that has been set up to express support for the high energy physics theory and particle theory communities in the United Kingdom. I signed the letter a few days ago but…

Bwahahaa, CAMRA member.
Welcome to

Screenshot from linked article reads “For those who seriously argue that Starmer has ruined that relationship, the corollary of their argument must be that UK isn't allowed to operate an even moderately independent foreign policy outside of the United States. That is historically illiterate, wrong and plain weird for people who constantly tell us how sovereignty is what matters most. It has been darkly comic to watch the people who spent years making sovereignty a kink decide that it doesn't turn them on after all. They told us it was necessary to create endless bureaucracy over trivial matters with Europe in the name of that sovereignty — yet seem enraged when this prime minister actually exercises it, by refusing to act in total lockstep with a United States president who is openly committed to dismantling the geopolitical order in which Starmer believes.”

@lewisgoodall.com supplies all the thinking on the USA’s war in Iran that is so obviously missing in the White House and among Trump’s UK boosters. Top notch.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...

Isn't it weird how those who keep telling us about "broken Britain" want to make us more like Donald Trump's deeply polarised America? ht @stephenkb.bsky.social

At yesterday's Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, I pressed Prof Michele Dougherty STFC Executive Chair to explain how the £162m financial shortfall threatening our physics, astronomy, and nuclear research base had come about and why early career researchers were paying for it.

Just tagging @si-wills.bsky.social to make sure he sees this :-)

We're very lucky to have @astroroyalscot.bsky.social, @jonbutterworth.bsky.social, and Simon Williams advocating for the field.

Rows of people wearing orange lanyards in a House of Commons committee hearing. At the front is Catherine sporting her "I'm about to perform an appendectomy" mask and looking particularly snazzy.

Here is my run-down of today's Science, Information & Technology Committee hearing (House of Commons) where @jonbutterworth.bsky.social @si-wills.bsky.social & I argued for no funding cuts, & Prof. Michele Doughtery explained why they were needed. The public gallery again packed with physicists 🔭👩‍🔬⚛️

Well, it's been a busy day prepping for my upcoming appearance in Westminster👇. The chocolate is all gone. This thread contains evidenced statistics to support the continued (not cut) funding for UK particle, astro and nuclear physics (PPAN). Thanks to everyone who contributed today! 🧵

An open letter has been sent to Lord Vallance from 57 heads of UK physics departments and institutes, including all of the heads of physics departments of the Russell group.

www.iop.org/about/news/o...

A trip to the House of Commons Having had a very interesting meeting at the House of Lords a couple of weeks ago, this Wednesday I will be giving evidence on science funding to the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Techno…

This Wednesday I will be giving evidence on science funding to the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
lifeandphysics.com/2026/03/01/a...
#LifeAndPhysics

4 March 2026 - Science, Innovation and Technology Committee - Oral evidence session - Committees - UK Parliament 09:00 - The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

📢 @astroroyalscot.bsky.social, Prof. Jon Butterworth, & our rep for Early-Career Researchers, Simon Williams @si-wills.bsky.social will meet the SITC Committee next week to talk about the STFC funding!

Let's all attend the hearing in person and online!🙎💻

committees.parliament.uk/event/26683/...

Cosmic UCL poster with Jon Butterworth, Mark Miodownik, Maggie Aderin, Helen Czerski, Kevin Fong, Adam Rutherford

London ppl... University College London is 200 this year & so we have a fabulous evening of science & creativity for you on May 6th. All the UCL-based usual suspects will be there (in the SAME event!), & more to be announced. Join us & bring your friends!

www.bloomsburytheatre.com/event/2026/0...

How rightwing rhetoric has risen sharply in the UK parliament – an exclusive visual analysis In the past five years, MPs’ attitudes in the House of Commons towards immigration have swung harder to the right than at almost any other time in the last century

Really interesting work from @theguardian.com team including one of my @ucl.ac.uk HEP PhD students, Joe Egan.
www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-...

a "sustainable" footing.
To quote Inigo Montoya "You keep saying that word. I do not think it means what you think it means"

a "sustainable" footing.
To quote Inigo Montoya "You keep saying that word. I do not think it means what you think it means"

STFC CEO responds to @jonbutterworth.bsky.social

"it is important for all of our ... programmes ... to contribute to us making savings across our entire portfolio"

No mention that *all* is disproportionately falling on the particle-astro-nuclear programme 🤷‍♀️😡

www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

Chose a great time to give a colloquium at Brown University
www.wpri.com/weather/wint...

Yes but get this in proportion - £110M isn't much in government spending terms. It's only a bit more than ...
... the entire annual domestic spend on particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics combined.

A screen snip. At the top is a sentence pointing out that the Northern Line tube line closely follows the route of the Roman Road, Stane Street. Beneath are two maps, on the left Stane street is shown with settlements including Morden, Tooting, Clapham and Kennington marked. On the right is another map with the modern northern line shown. All of the settlements on the stane street map are duplicated on the tube map.

We've been on the Northern Line. The idea that it's 2000 years old seems completely reasonable.

IT’S PANCAKE TUESDAY!

“People think I’m weird when I say I like pancakes”

“That’s not weird / I like pancakes too”

“Cool. Do you want to see my collection?”

Today the astro-community discussed the devastating proposed 30% cuts to our research funding, cuts that will be offsetting (some of the) rising costs at UK facilities that we don't use. Hard not to feel victimised when those same facilities make a fanfare announcement about an expensive facelift. 🔭

Future vision - Harwell Campus The campus needs to evolve. Our organisations require cutting-edge facilities, improved connectivity, and enhanced collaborative spaces. We have ample capacity within our boundaries to accommodate dec...

ah - this, right? www.harwellcampus.com/future-vision/

I haven't ... do you hav a link?

These cuts to physics research will be a disaster for UK scientists – and for our standing in the world | Jon Butterworth If plans by the UK’s science funding body go ahead, we won’t be able to benefit from Britain’s membership of Cern and other large international projects, says Jon Butterworth, professor of physics at University College London

These cuts to physics research will be a disaster for UK scientists – and for our standing in the world | Jon Butterworth

It's nice to be back in the Guardian again, but I wish it was for better news 😬

These cuts to physics research will be a disaster for UK scientists – and for our standing in the world | Jon Butterworth If plans by the UK’s science funding body go ahead, we won’t be able to benefit from Britain’s membership of Cern and other large international projects, says Jon Butterworth, professor of physics at ...

These cuts to physics research will be a disaster for UK scientists – and for our standing in the world
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The Bucket Stops Here UKRI’s new funding framework takes a stab at classifying budgets – but doesn’t yet govern research

I've written about the UKRI funding situation and the 'buckets' explainer, looking in detail at QR, STFC and Quantum. www.ersatzben.com/p/the-bucket...

This man is completely unhinged.

Funding cuts will devastate the next generation of scientists | Letters Letters: Physics research drives technological innovation, from medical imaging to data processing, write Dr Phil Bull and Prof Chris Clarkson; plus letters from Tim Gershon and Vincenzo Vagnoni, and ...

Letters in the @theguardian.com on the science cuts.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...