Liz Kendall reveals record $55BN R&D investment to make Britain a superpower
The Labor government unveiled a record £55 billion investment in research and development (R & D), marking the biggest long-term commitment to science and innovation in British history.
The announcement underlines Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Preatform to transform the UK into a “science and technology strong” by the end of the decade.
The program, confirmed by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), will include channels in the affairs of the leading British agencies, aiming to carry out high-value work, and strengthen public private activities, and strengthen public private cooperation in emerging technologies.
Announcing the package at IBM’s London headquarters, Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the money was “absolutely essential to growing the economy and creating good jobs”.
“Every pound of public investment in R&D is twice as much from the private sector,” Kendall said. “This £55 billion commitment will fuel AI, clean energy and advanced manufacturing – and help solve some of the biggest challenges we face.”
Investments include:
• £38 billion for UK research and innovation (Ukri), the National Science Funding Agency.
• £1.4 billion for the met office, which supports meteorological and meteorological research.
• £900 million for UK public schools, including the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
• Doubling of advanced research and the Agency’s annual budget (Aria) – from £ 220 million to 400 million in 2030 – to pay for breakthrough technology.
The move highlights the government’s focus on harmonizing public funding with private sector innovation. Kendall’s visit to IBM is an emphasis on collaboration between the Tech Giants and British research institutions, including the UKRI’s 210 million Hartre Institute, which collaborates with IBM on artificial and clean projects.
A recent DSIT study found that every £1 spent on R&D generates £8 in wider economic benefits, from productivity gains and increased private investment.
“This is about good jobs, innovation, and better value for taxpayers,” Kendall told Business News. “There is no way to the top – moderate growth without putting technology and innovation.”
The government has said that total R&D spending from DSIT will reach £58.5 billion by 2030, a cornerstone of industry and growth. This announcement follows months of advertising from business groups such as Confederal Favorition (CBI), which urged ministers to set targets for R & D that increased 3.4 percent with GDP by the end of the decade.
Louise Hellem, chief economist of the CBI, called the new F & D & D Package aimed at eliminating private capital and ensuring Britain remains competitive in the race for Global Innovation “.
As the government seeks to balance fiscal discipline with its desire to boost growth, investment records are turning to a science-led economic recovery – one that puts research, technology, and innovation at the heart of the UK’s industrial future.
