Parliamentary Links Day 2026: science and politics come together

Organised by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) on behalf of the STEM community, Parliamentary Links Day is the largest science event in the annual Parliamentary calendar. Held this year on Tuesday 16 June at the House of Commons, Westminster, the event brings together scientists, learned societies, and Members of Parliament. Over 90 attendees were present.

Dr Doug Brown CBiol FRSB, Chief Executive of the RSB, introduced this year's theme – the challenges and opportunities in higher education and research funding in the UK – and welcomed the speakers.

Dame Chi Onwurah MP welcomed participants

Dame Chi Onwurah MP, Chair of the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, took to the podium to deliver the welcome speech. She emphasised the importance of science and parliament – the 'twin engines' – coming together for human and economic progress, and that science and innovation are essential to our nation's future. The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee holds the Government to account for how it is using and implementing science in its policy-making, ensuring robust scientific evidence is used to feed into this. Dame Chi concluded by saying that the UK's science sector is a huge source of pride across the nation.

Thanks to Dame Chi for sponsoring this year's event.

Hannah Russell FRSB discussed public attitudes to science

The keynote address on public attitudes to science, and what these mean for the UK's future, was given by Hannah Russell FRSB, Chief Executive of the British Science Association.

Quoting a 2025 survey carried out on public attitudes and how people engage with science, Hannah stated that 82% of the UK public remains positive about science's contribution to the economy and the public, and that it is seen as a national asset. However, there is growing uncertainty, ambivalence, and conditional trust, particularly among women and young people (age 16-24).

Hannah also stated that media landscape evolution plays a role, as social media is now on par with traditional media for how the public acquires information. There is, however, an appetite for more information and involvement in science, and the consensus is that not enough information is disseminated. Concluding her speech, Hannah said that public support for science and research cannot be taken for granted, large scale investment and funding in research must be provided, and that it is the responsibility of all present at Parliamentary Links Day to work together to increase the impact and scale up for what we do.

Attendees were then able to network over lunch and meet with their constituency MPs.

Parliamentary Links Day is organised by the Royal Society of Biology on behalf of the Anatomical Society, Applied Microbiology International, Association of Applied Biologists, Biochemical Society, British Ecological Society, British Pharmacological Society, London Mathematical Society, The Genetics Society, The Geological Society, Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry, Society for Experimental Biology, The Physiological Society, and The Society for Radiological Protection.