Scientists praise outgoing UK science minister

An undated picture from davidwilletts.co.uk.

Update: Conservative MP Greg Clark will replace David Willettsas minister for universities and science.

UK universities and science minister David Willetts resigned from his role on 14 July as part of a cabinet reshuffle.

A replacement has yet to be announced for the popular minister known as two brains because of his reputed intellectual abilities who has served in the role since 2010. Willetts is reported to also be standing down as member of parliament for Havant at the coming election.

Leading voices from the UK scientific community were quick to praise Willetts.

David Willetts is one of the UKs sharpest and most talented politicians; weve been extraordinarily privileged to have him as the UKs science minister for the past four years, said Imran Khan, chief executive of the British Science Association and former director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, in a statement.

We in the science sector like to moan about there not being enough scientists in Parliament, but it was obvious from early on that Willetts despite not having had much to do with science previously developed a genuine passion for the subject. Youd be hard-pressed to find many in our sector who have a bad word to say about him, he added.

Under his watch, science received a static 4.6-billion (US$7.9 billion) budget in 2010s austere spending review, seen as such a good settlement at the time that it earned the new minister a bouquet of white lilies and roses from one awaiting journalist.

In-depth knowledge of his brief and advocacy for science mean Willetts has remained popular throughout his term. This is despite a rising clamour around the impact of the flat cash budget which inflation is set to erode by an estimated 1 billion by the end of 201516 as well as the instability caused by slashing and rebuilding piecemeal of infrastructure spending.

The president of the Royal Society, Paul Nurse, said in a statement that Willetts had been an outstanding science minister, respected not only in the UK but throughout the world.

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Scientists praise outgoing UK science minister