Top minds are leaving Britain for Spain amid concerns over the effects of Brexit and the cost of living crisis in the UK.

Almost a third, or 32.8 per cent, of the 58 top researchers who won places on Spain’s ATRAE (Attract) scheme had been working in the UK.

Britain lost the largest number of scientists to Spain, according to the countries whose scientists applied for posts on the ATRAE scheme. Almost all of those who left the UK were foreign scientists based in Britain.

Designed to attract the top brains from around the world, the programme offers scientists €1m (£868,500) each to set up a team and carry out research at academic institutions in Spain.

Last week the Spanish government approved the last round for this year’s €45m (£39m) scheme for leading scientists in their fields.

Michael Gove has admitted “moral cowardice” during the Brexit campaign by not being upfront with David Cameron about his role in the leave campaign.

In an interview for the Political Currency podcast with George Osborne and Ed Balls, the levelling up secretary said he was initially reluctant to take a prominent role in the campaign, but had been persuaded to by the Vote Leave campaign coordinator, Dominic Cummings.

Osborne, the former chancellor who campaigned for Remain, said Gove had told Cameron in the Downing Street plan that he would not play a prominent role. He asked the minister: “Did you deceive David? […] He certainly felt betrayed.”

Gove said he did not think he had deceived Cameron but had ended up “going further” in the campaign, by taking part in TV shows and debates, than he had anticipated and he should have been “clearer earlier”.

“And I think that was an example of on the one hand, cowardice on my part, moral cowardice … on the other hand, a recognit

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/11903651

Wine Society describes planned alcohol duty changes as ‘ludicrous, expensive and probably unworkable’

Archived version: https://archive.ph/fTHRO

Richard Desmond, the Brexit-backing media tycoon, is invoking EU law to sue the gambling regulator after it rejected his “fanciful” bid to run the national lottery, in a suit that could deprive good causes of millions of pounds.

The former owner of the Daily Express has vowed previously to seek damages from the Gambling Commission after his company Northern & Shell missed out on a 10-year contract, worth £6.5bn, to run the lottery from next year.

Obligatory despite brexit

Global shipowners are pressing the UK to diverge from the EU and protect them from competition laws, after the bloc delivered the industry a major blow by axing its exemption from antitrust rules.

The World Shipping Council, which represents the largest container shipping groups, has urged the UK to act as a “sovereign nation” after Brexit and retain the immunity from competition rules that some shipowners enjoy under British law.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/7829464

Industry urges government to extend ‘cheese letters’ before post-Brexit terms expire on December 31