Sir Ed Davey will call on US experts fleeing an “anti-science agenda” to come to the UK, and pledge to make curing cancer a “top priority”.
The Liberal Democrat leader will use his keynote speech at the party’s annual conference in Bournemouth today to call for a dedicated fellowship scheme to attract American scientists.
The finale of the party’s annual meeting will see him turn his ire on Donald Trump, having spent the past few days criticising tech titan Elon Musk and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Sir Ed is expected to warn that “what’s happening on the other side of the Atlantic” is the “biggest threat to the fight against cancer”.
“The US is by far the world’s biggest funder of cancer research – mostly through its National Cancer Institute,” the leader will say.
“But since Donald Trump returned to the White House, he has cancelled hundreds of grants for cancer research projects.
“He’s slashing billions of dollars from the National Cancer Institute’s budget.”
Sir Ed will appeal to scientists who have had projects cancelled or funding cut to “come here and finish it in the UK”.
He believes a dedicated scheme should be established to allow them to move to work at British research institutions, without having to pay large visa fees.
Sir Ed has is the only English party leader to explicitly criticise Mr Trump, and refused an invite to the state banquet with the King at Windsor Castle as part of the US president’s state visit last week.
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‘Cast-iron guarantee’ for cancer patients
Sir Ed will also use his speech to pledge to boost healthcare and cancer research more widely.
He is expected to tell party members: “The UK should step up and say: if Trump won’t back this research, we will.
“We’ll boost funding for cancer research in the UK. We’ll rebuild a National Cancer Research Institute, after it was closed under the Conservatives, to coordinate research and drive it forward.
“We’ll pass a Cancer Survival Research Act to ensure funding for research into the deadliest cancers.”
He will announce a “cast-iron guarantee” that each patient in the UK diagnosed with cancer will start treatment within two months.
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Sir Ed will also accuse Reform members of supporting the Trump administration’s move to cut millions of pounds of research into mRNA vaccines, based on “totally false conspiracy theories”.
He will say they members “enthusiastically applauded” the decision at the party’s conference earlier this month.
It follows the Liberal Democrat leader refusing to rule out making a deal with Labour after the next general election to help keep Reform out of government.
Speaking to Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, Sir Ed said he would “wait to see the result of the next election” before deciding on any agreement.
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Across the conference, Sir Ed has also:
- Accused Elon Musk of being a “criminal [for] allowing online harm to children” on his social media platform X, insisting he’s not concerned about being sued by the billionaire for saying so despite him not being charged;
- Suggested the Lib Dems could win “way more” than 100 seats at the next general election;
- And accused the BBC of scrutinising Reform less than other political parties.
The Liberal Democrats have already used the conference to announce plans for a windfall tax on big banks to help homeowners install solar panels and insulation, and propose cigarette-style health warnings on social media apps to protect children.
They also want to introduce a law to ban ministers from lobbying on behalf of foreign leaders.
