Save Jodrell Bank & the Lovell Telescope – reverse funding cuts that would end 80 years of world-leading UK science.

Why this matters

Jodrell Bank Observatory – home to the iconic Lovell Telescope, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the heart of UK radio astronomy – faces losing all its core annual funding of £2.8 million. Unless this decision is reversed or new funding is secured, all scientific work will end on 1 April 2028, and this historic site could close forever.

For nearly 80 years, Jodrell Bank has been at the forefront of global discovery.

✅ It pioneered radio astronomy, unlocking secrets of galaxies, black holes, dark matter and how our Universe formed

✅ It played a critical role during the Cold War and in international space exploration

✅ It leads the e-MERLIN network – linking telescopes across the UK to deliver Hubble-class images of deep space

✅ It trains the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators, inspiring millions of young people across the North West and the whole country

✅ It put the UK at the very front of the global Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project – the most powerful telescope ever built – and losing it now would mean we surrender decades of leadership just as this golden age of astronomy begins.

The closure would put 28 skilled jobs at risk and disrupt research work used by almost 3,000 scientists worldwide. It would erase a national icon celebrated in culture from Doctor Who to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – a symbol of British curiosity and excellence.

This decision is short-sighted

UKRI says these cuts are necessary to balance budgets. Yet the £2.8 million annual cost to keep Jodrell Bank running is a tiny sum compared to the value it delivers to our nation – in knowledge, innovation, skills, and global standing. To sacrifice a world-class scientific asset, a UNESCO site, and a cornerstone of our reputation for such a modest amount is, as leading scientists have said, scientifically misguided, economically short-sighted, and an act of national self-harm.

We are not asking for vast new sums – we are asking to protect an investment that has already paid us back many times over.

What we demand

We call on UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and the UK Government to:

1. Immediately reverse the decision to withdraw core funding from Jodrell Bank Observatory and the e-MERLIN network

2. Carry out a full, transparent review of these cuts alongside other public spending priorities

3. Guarantee long-term support so Jodrell Bank can continue its world-leading work and lead the UK into the next era of astronomy

This is not just about saving a telescope. It is about saving our place at the forefront of human discovery – and keeping alive the ambition that has defined British science for generations.

Please sign, share, and help us send an unmistakable message: Jodrell Bank is irreplaceable – and we will not let it be lost.

 

Image copyright

Mike Peel; Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester.