Thank you to everyone who gave such amazing support during the party’s brief existence, and we look forward to embroiling you all in another evidence-based adventure very soon.

Michael Brooks (leader)
Sumit Paul-Choudhury (Nominating Officer)

You’ll know by now that David Tredinnick is still Bosworth’s MP.

I’m really sorry we couldn’t make more of a dent in his apparently bulletproof vote. But you have helped make a big point, locally and nationally, and together we have helped put science onto the election agenda. This is the first time science has been so prominent in party manifestos and in pre-election discussions.

We polled 197 votes, not a bad turnout at all for a movement with so few resources and so little time to raise voters’ awareness of the issues at stake. Many candidates with more behind them did far worse. Still, I can’t help feeling disappointed at the overall outcome, and I’m sure you do too. I can only encourage you to hold Mr Tredinnick to account.

Thank you all so much for enabling me to stand, and for your help in promoting the Science Party vote. I will of course keep you up to date with the Science Party’s next moves. Please do keep in touch with me, too – I’ve found it brilliant to be a part of your election, and genuinely feel I’ve made some new friends.

With my best wishes, Michael

During the debate, Michael Mullaney, the Lib Dem candidate, asked Mr Tredinnick whether he regretted a statement that he had made in Parliament on 14 October last year. Mr Tredinnick had told the Health Minister that the scientists who questioned the efficacy of Chinese and Indian healthcare systems that use homeopathy and astrology and take into account the phases of the moon were “racially prejudiced”.

Mr Tredinnick said, “I do stand by those remarks.” Criticism of the efficacy of Chinese and Ayurvedic medical practices “is perceived by some people in minority communities to be racist,” Mr Tredinnick said. When pressed by Mr Mullaney about whether he shared the views of those communities, Mr Tredinnick said, “I think it’s pretty borderline at times.”

Earlier in the debate, Mr Tredinnick had singled out the contribution of Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris, who has been a strong advocate of making sure the NHS uses evidence-based medicine. “Dr Evan Harris has a bee in his bonnet against alternative medicine generally,” he said.

Dr Michael Brooks, a PhD physicist, bestselling author and Science Party candidate for Bosworth, condemned the outburst. “It is clear that, in the absence of evidence to support his views, Mr Tredinnick is resorting to the lowest form of intimidation,” Brooks said. “Suggesting that scientists are racially prejudiced for not wanting to waste taxpayers’ money on unproven treatments is unacceptable. I would urge Mr Tredinnick to issue an unreserved apology.”

Mr Tredinnick has a track record in supporting treatments and therapies that most scientists believe to be ineffective. He has suggested in Parliament that the NHS “think outside the box” and look into using radionics, a form of remote psychic healing where practitioners focus on a patient’s blood sample and send them “healing energies”.

Dr Brooks is standing against Mr Tredinnick in an attempt to increase the number of MPs who are scientifically literate. “Mr Tredinnick has consistently attempted to undermine science by repeatedly rejecting the views and conclusions of scientists,” Dr Brooks said. “He seems to think he knows better than the scientists on whose work Britain’s economy, industry and rich heritage of discovery has been built.”

Also on the debate panel was Labour candidate Rory Palmer.

The meeting will give the people of Bosworth a chance to grill Dr. Brooks, Michael Mullaney of the Liberal Democrats, David Tredinnick of the Conservatives and Rory Palmer of the Labour Party. Don’t miss your chance to ask where the candidates stand on science and on the other issues that count!

7.30 pm, Wednesday 28 April 2010

Council Chamber
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council Offices
Argents Mead, Hinckley LE10 1BZ

Please do come along if you’re in the Bosworth constituency, and spread the word if you know anyone who is!

Please note: We are aware of the following candidates for the Bosworth seat, who for reasons of time, space and practicality have not been asked to take part:

John Ryde   British National Party
Dutch Veldhuizen   UK Independence Party
James Lampitt   English Democrats

The Science Party is now tweeting @scienceparty – or you can follow Michael Brooks’ progress as he stands for election in Bosworth directly @DrMichaelBrooks. Spread the word!

Brooks will launch The Science Party, whose slogan is “Because Science Matters”, at a Skeptics event in Leicester on Tuesday evening.

“Science is not just an indulgence for the curious, but is vital to British life, culture and economic well-being,” Brooks says. “Science-based healthcare has made all of our lives immeasurably better. It contributes more to Britain’s GDP than the insurance, banking and financial services sector combined. It also seeds future economic stability.”

For Brooks, this campaign will be about what kinds of qualification we want our MPs to have. Do we want only politics and economics graduates making the decisions? Or do we want MPs who are qualified to deal with scientific and technological questions, and able to analyse a problem using a skillset that has proved the most powerful tool we have: rational, scientifically-based thinking?

Brooks hopes his stand for Parliament will get people across the country talking about what kind of MP they want. “In a scientific age we need MPs who understand science: what it is, what it does and why it matters,” he says.

“Hopefully we can populate the House of Commons with people who understand what makes the world go round – literally and metaphorically. If we are to secure the future of science and engineering research, and thus secure the future of Britain’s economy, we need to make sure that our MPs will not ignore and undermine the scientific traditions on which this country is built.”

Dr. Roger Highfield, editor of New Scientist magazine, composed the Science Party’s manifesto, Because Science Matters. He fully supports Brooks’s stand.

“I back Michael’s campaign because he is helping to draw attention to an important way we can drag Britain out of recession,” he says. “We need to put more faith – and money – in science. Every major political party accepts that Britain can’t compete in international markets with cheap labour,  only with our brains, ingenuity and innovation. Now Britain looks like it will be left behind as countries such as France, Germany, China and America increase their investment in research.”

Then it was on to the newspapers, with Michael writing a post for The Guardian’s Science Blog in which he explained his motivations. The Leicester Mercury also picked up the story, as did the Hinckley Times, which rather flatteringly referred to Michael as a “top scientist”. (For the record, he has a doctorate in quantum physics, but is now a science writer, not a scientific practitioner.)

Now that the campaign’s up and running, we’re sure there’ll be much more to come. Do let us know in the comments if you see The Science Party mentioned!