In one of the most spectacular own goals in science, politicians have decided that pulling out of Gemini is a sensible cost cutting measure for British science. Of course, cutting all British astronomers out of a northern hemisphere large aperture telescope might have caused some heated debate - so it was done without consultation with any of the astronomers.
The fiasco is being followed in close detail over here.
By terminating our support contract several years early, Britain demonstrated that they weren't to be trusted in large international collaborations - in addition to making trivial cost savings, the STFC had the steel cojones to ask to be kept in Gemini but at a reduced level. Gemini (quite rightly) told Britain to go take a long walk off a short pier.
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