Cuts to UK Astronomy? It's all about the base(line). A short post on LinkedIn highlighting that the effective cuts to UK Astronomy funding are not some far off possibility - they have already started. www.linkedin.com/posts/profji...

"We need a credible plan for science funding in the UK" Excellent letters in @theguardian.com from Prof Ruben Saakyan and Prof Sheila Rowan on the cuts to @ukri.org - STFC PPAN science www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

"We need a credible plan for science funding in the UK" Excellent letters in @theguardian.com from Prof Ruben Saakyan and Prof Sheila Rowan on the cuts to @ukri.org - STFC PPAN science www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

Great to see this analysis out. It was a pleasure to work with Tim Evans and Joshua Horswill on this, supported by my @erc.europa.eu Starting Grant 'Beauty2Charm'. Joshua now works in GreenOps at GreenPixie.com

Observation of the doubly charmed baryon Ξcc⁺ with the LHCb Run 3 detector - The Ξ+cc mass is measured to be 3619.97±0.83±0.26+1.90−1.30MeV, where the third uncertainty is due to the unknown lifetime, which is assumed to lie in the range 15-160 fs. arxiv.org/abs/2603.28456

Excellent thread by @robinbisson.bsky.social of @resprofnews.bsky.social. We keep being told 'there are no cuts'. This is a concrete example of a 67% cut. Also true in Astro, Nuclear and Particle Experiment. Contrary to Lord Vallance and Sir Ian Chapman of @ukri.org's letter to the Committee.

All of the comms I've seen from UKRI this year have been at best incomplete and misleading. It's all depressingly Trumpian - hope you people are proud of yourselves.

In a letter to @chionwurah.bsky.social the Science Minister states: "~20 particle physics theory post-doctoral researchers [are] funded by UKRI each year." That’s not typical; that’s the post-cut baseline from 2026. The previous cycle supported ~60. Framing this as “normal” obscures a ~70% cut.

This is pure 1984: Lord Vallance promises that there will be no reduction in UK particle theory postdoc numbers from ~20 per year. The actual number awarded in the last round in 2022 was 58. committees.parliament.uk/publications...

The Committee has also published a followup set of questions. committees.parliament.uk/committee/13...

I simply do not understand the reply to the SIT committee from Lord Vallance - the claim made about the Drayson partitions is fundamentally inconsistent with previous statements over the last decade from STFC.

What is the impact of cuts to physics? Read more here ⬇️ www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

Drayson partitions considered by govt to be those retractable barriers they use for airport queues.

The situation is stark: ~70% cuts to theoretical particle physics PDRAs will be catastrophic. The cuts are effectively baked in for the next four years unless additional funding is brought in to stabilise the situation. This will translate directly into severe early-career attrition.

@resprofnews.bsky.social's @francesjones.bsky.social continues to do the hard work. 67% cut to theory positions, while Sir Ian at @ukri.org tells @iop.org there are no cuts. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Sorry to hear of the passing of Tracy Kidder. The Soul of a New Machine was one of the first nonfiction books I read as a kid and it still resonates. www.theguardian.com/books/2026/m...

It looks like the disaster unfolding with @ukri.org is being noticed over on the other site.

Brian Cox attacks ‘devastating’ STFC cuts as postdocs slashed, reports @jgro-the.bsky.social #AcademicSky #physics #cuts https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/brian-cox-attacks-devastating-stfc-cuts-postdocs-slashed

NEW: Feature by me on Physics cuts ‘could hurt government’s dash for growth’ Letters last March were sent to project leaders informing them that their funding would not be renewed. “We’re losing people”, including postdoctoral researchers. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Another banger from @francesjones.bsky.social in @resprofnews.bsky.social on the @ukri.org PPAN situation. “The uncertainties around career progression often drive early career researchers abroad or out of research completely” www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

In the absence of a response from @ukri.org to Dame @chionwurah.bsky.social and the Select Committee, two letters to the Committee have been published today and are worth a read: 1/4

An effective 70% cut can not be a clerical mistake. Another incredibly concerning development in STFC science funding

This is appalling. Lord Vallance has said that he was 'determined that UKRI must find a way to look after PPAN'. It doesn't look like UKRI is doing so.

Less than one week after this post, the theoretical particle physics grants have been ruthlessly cut. PDRA positions are down by ~70% compared to the last funding cycle. Some groups cannot even hire postdocs for the next 4 years. This is on top of an effective 100% hiring cut for October 2026.

Good piece by @malcfairbairn.bsky.social: "The STFC turmoil bodes ill for UK plc as well as UK physics" www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/stfc...

Daniel Zeichner MP: Why I’m challenging UKRI on plans to cut physics research funding www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/daniel-...

Viability of top particle physics group put in doubt by STFC cuts Group at Cambridge’s world-famous Cavendish Laboratory may be “unable to continue to operate”, says @cambridgephysics.bsky.social professor www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

'Research funding cuts threaten a whole generation of scientists' Good article in @resprofnews.bsky.social from @royalastrosoc.bsky.social president and president elect on damage to the skills pipeline www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

'If the UK wants to lead in the technologies of the future, it must also protect the research base that makes them possible.' Excellent letter from @si-wills.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Transparency is so important when there is change. There needs to be a full well-motivated #UKRI picture that is clear to everyone, with a clear and fair impact assessment. Maintaining that there is growth gaslights those facing cuts and adds disquiet and confusion. This is not transparent yet.

Yesterday, @ukri.org were spooked by this article enough to put out comms that completely failed to address any of the points this article raises. Worth a read.

Not just STFC beneficiaries noticing issues with this:

Today's UKRI tweet on UKRI funding reforms and the financial position of STFC paints an incomplete and, in some areas, misleading picture. STFCs own council minutes set the record straight: www.ukri.org/publications...

One might say this thread paints an incomplete and, in some areas, misleading picture. It’s deeply disappointing that this seems to be common in UKRI communications of late.

The STFC portfolio contains @lhcb.bsky.social, upgrade has been dropped. It contains the particle CG, awarded at 2 years with 25% less for responsive posts (postdocs). Theory, Astro, Nuclear cut already as well. I do not understand how @ukri.org position is to keep doubling down.

Transparency in this instance, would be showing how a record settlement for UKRI lead to cuts to fundamental science. That @ukri.org continues to claim there are no cuts, when theory, astro and nuclear PDRA positions have fallen through the floor (25% drop this year in particle CG) is dismal.

‘We need to sort this problem out’: Liz Kendall tells MPs on STFC cuts Science secretary assures House of Commons “we strongly back curiosity-led research”, despite impending cuts www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

“It’s so important for the foundation of our economy and society, but we need to sort this problem out.” Liz Kendall on STFC www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Delays to funding are translating into widespread attrition of early-career researchers across PPAN science. This is not hypothetical, this is happening now. Missing the international deadline has resulted in an effective 100% cut to new theoretical physics postdoc positions in the UK this cycle.

.⁦‪@UKRI_News‬⁩ says physics cuts needed because of poor financial planning by the previous management. Previous management flatly deny this to me saying that money must have been diverted.🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Excellent writeup of the @ukri.org debacle by @pallabg.bsky.social . "I do not understand how we ended up with a 30% cut in the particle physics and astronomy budget unless at some point there must have been a choice to reduce that aspect of the budget." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Xi_cc+ in the Guardian, noting that cuts from @ukri.org will prevent future discoveries like this.

The LHCb Collaboration discovers new proton-like particle Composed of two charm quarks and one down quark, the doubly charmed particle is four times heavier than a proton. Find out more: home.cern/news/news/ex...

Still no meaningful action from UKRI and STFC, so letter-writing time: https://www.insectnation.org/blog/ukri-stfc-crisis-letter.html

The RAS will be sending these to astro groups across the UK... They look great on every laptop, particularly in meetings with UKRI and DSIT staff...

The chair of the House of Commons science committee has described impending cuts to physics funding as “wholly unacceptable” and “a failure” in an excoriating letter to the science minister and the leader of UKRI. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

The Science, Innovation & Tech committee have written the most amazing letter to DSIT/UKRI/STFC: "What is clear is that, despite your assertions to the contrary... widespread cuts have been proposed before adequate consultation with those affected was undertaken. This is wholly unacceptable" 💪🔭⚛️🧪

Onwurah: UK research funding cuts ‘wholly unacceptable’ www.timeshighereducation.com/news/onwurah...