The
Science Party is a UK political party that was launched on 20 April 2010 by Brooks and Sumit Paul-Choudhury, an editor of
New Scientist. A key goal in the Science Party manifesto is ensuring "that science, mathematics and engineering have sufficient funding, skills and political priority". The Science Party challenged MP
David Tredinnick in his constituency of
Bosworth in the
East Midlands, in the
2010 general election on a pro-scientific manifesto. Tredinnick is a supporter of
alternative medicine and critical of science. It was revealed in the 2009
United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal that Tredinnick claimed £700 in his MP expenses for
astrology software and training, which he repaid following media publicity. Tredinnick also led 70 MPs in a motion to ignore a House of Commons
Science and Technology Select Committee report recommending the
NHS to cease funding
homeopathic treatments. In criticising Tredinnick, Brooks also points to the
cash-for-questions affair, where Tredinnick accepted a £1,000 payment from an under cover reporter for what was described as a consultancy service but which essentially involved raising a question before parliament, an act that has been described as accepting a bribe for interference in parliamentary proceedings. This scandal led to Tredinnick and one other MP being suspended from Parliament. Brooks also criticises Tredinnick for his MP's expense claim of £125 for attending a course on "intimate relationships". Tredinnick defended his views on using
astrology for medicine by saying "Systems of healthcare in India and China have linked medicine and astronomy for centuries. Are we really just dismissing their views?". Brooks describes Tredinnick as "a champion of
pseudoscience and a hindrance to rational governance". Brooks received 197 votes in the election, 0.4% of the votes cast. == Bibliography ==