'We'll find way to save Jodrell Bank,' Burnham says
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to secure the future of the Jodrell Bank Observatory after it faced potential closure due to funding cuts. The government intends to work with local MPs to preserve the historic radio telescope as both a research and heritage asset.
Why it matters
Jodrell Bank is a globally significant site for radio astronomy and science history, and its potential loss highlights the tension between research funding priorities and cultural preservation.
Image source, Jodrell Bank/Manchester University Image caption, Jodrell Bank has lost its funding and is under threat of closure
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has vowed to save the UK's largest telescope at the Jodrell Bank Observatory.
The Lovell telescope, which has stood in Cheshire since 1957, is the world's third-largest steerable radio telescope.
But in July this year, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) said the site would not be prioritised for further funding after its current agreement ended in March 2028.
Burnham said: "Every one of my generation went on a school trip to Jodrell Bank, and there is no way that we can see its demise, and it won't happen under my government."
UKRI said its decision for the site was "the result of a comprehensive, evidence-based prioritisation process".
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