AN MP is supporting a campaign calling on the government to guarantee the future of the science budget to protect life-saving research.

Andrew Stephenson, who represents Pendle in the House of Commons, joined eight-year-old Emily Sullivan for a science lesson to highlight the importance of charities being able to continue funding medical research.

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Emily has had three open heart surgeries after being born with three large holes in her heart, a condition that more and more people are surviving because of British Heart Foundation research.

Mr Stephenson joined thousands of people across the country who wore red for Wear It. Beat It. to help the BHF continue to fund life-saving research.

He said: “Charities are an essential part of the UK medical research, environment and the science budget is vital to supporting their research.

“By funding the day-to-day running of science facilities, the next government will ensure that researchers can concentrate on finding the next life-saving cure. “If we are to prevent and treat devastating conditions like cardiovascular disease in places like Pendle, we need continued investment in pioneering research and to guarantee the future of the science budget.”

Medical research charities, like the BHF, rely on government investment to pay for the indirect costs of research, such as lighting, electricity and heating for laboratories, and for every £1 charities spend directly on medical research, the government pays 26p to help fund the indirect costs.

The BHF is now calling on the next government to maintain the current ring-fencing of the science budget and to commit to future increases.

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the BHF, said: “If the UK is to maintain its strong position in biomedical research, the next government must guarantee the future of the science budget. Every single research grant we fund is underpinned by Government investment in universities. This fund is a vital partnership between government, charity and universities and any cut to it would be extremely damaging to our life saving research and the fight against heart disease.”