Governance and Populism

The UK’s independent science institutions keep us safe and honest—but they’re not invulnerable. Drawing lessons from the US, Professor Christina Pagel outlines where UK bodies are exposed (funding, leadership, publication limits) and what we can do now to protect evidence, accountability and public health—before it’s too late.

Christina Pagel is Professor of Operational Research at UCL. Her work applies mathematical tools to improve health services across cardiology, intensive care and complex child health. She served on Independent SAGE during COVID-19 and now tracks authoritarian actions and their public-health impacts.