Lobular Moon Shot Project: All 17 UK opposition parties unite behind £20m breast cancer research appeal to Prime Minister Andy Burnham
In what campaigners believe may be an unprecedented demonstration of political unity over women’s cancer research, leaders and senior representatives of all 17 UK opposition political parties have united behind a joint appeal to Prime Minister Andy Burnham to support a £20 million, five-year research programme into invasive lobular breast cancer.
The historic three-page letter is now fully signed, including by the newly appointed Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, following the Conservative Shadow Cabinet reshuffle.
The completed letter asks the Prime Minister to fund the proposed £20 million, five-year Lobular Moon Shot Project research programme, subject to appropriate scientific proposals, independent peer review and governance.
The political significance is heightened by the fact that Andy Burnham himself publicly backed the Lobular Moon Shot Project while Mayor of Greater Manchester.
In a statement issued in June 2025, Burnham said he was “proud to back the Lobular Moon Shot Project”, highlighting that thousands of women still lacked the dedicated treatments they needed. His support was subsequently reported by ITV News in July this year.
Today, every UK opposition political party is effectively asking the Prime Minister to turn the support he expressed as Mayor of Greater Manchester into Government action.
Political parties put differences aside
The signatories span the political spectrum and all four nations of the United Kingdom.
They include Damian Hinds, Sir Ed Davey, Nigel Farage, John Swinney, Michelle O’Neill, Russell Findlay, Rachael Hamilton, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Gavin Robinson, Zack Polanski, Liz Saville Roberts, Claire Hanna, Naomi Long, Jim Allister, Jon Burrows, Jane Dodds, Malachai O’Hara, Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer.
Despite profound political differences, all 17 opposition parties have put those differences aside to make the same request of the Prime Minister:
Give dedicated research into invasive lobular breast cancer the support it urgently needs.
Their joint letter states: “Cancer is not party-political. Neither is the research needed to defeat it.”
22 women are diagnosed every day
Invasive lobular breast cancer is the second most common form of breast cancer, with around 22 women diagnosed every day in the UK.
Yet there remains no treatment specifically designed for its distinct biology.
The Lobular Moon Shot Project has now secured the support of 469 MPs, according to the campaign’s latest count, representing an extraordinary level of parliamentary support.
The campaign is seeking £20 million over five years for a dedicated discovery-science research programme designed to improve understanding of the disease and ultimately improve diagnosis, treatment and outcomes.
Andy Burnham already backed the project
The appeal places the Prime Minister in an unusual position because he already knows and has publicly supported the Lobular Moon Shot Project.
While Mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham was due to chair a landmark meeting involving scientists at the Manchester Breast Centre on 30 June 2025. He was unable to attend after contracting Covid, but issued a public statement supporting the initiative.
Burnham said he was ‘proud to back the Lobular Moon Shot Project’ and spoke about the need for women with lobular breast cancer to have dedicated treatments. ITV News subsequently reported his previous support when covering the campaign in July 2026.
Burnham's previous position is particularly significant because he served as Health Secretary between 2009 and 2010, giving him first-hand experience of health policy and medical research.
The campaign therefore believes today's letter provides the new Prime Minister with an opportunity to turn the support he expressed in Manchester into action from Downing Street.
Susan’s legacy
The Lobular Moon Shot Project was co-founded by Dr Susan Michaelis BCA(hon), who campaigned for the research while living with terminal stage-four invasive lobular breast cancer.
Susan had personally met Andy Burnham by Zoom.
She continued campaigning despite knowing that advances arising from the proposed research would probably come too late to help her. She wanted things to be different for the thousands of women who would come after her. That motivation is recognised directly by the political leaders in their letter.
They make clear that no political party should receive the credit, stating: “The credit belongs to the researchers, patients, families and campaigners who have brought us to this point – and to Susan, who fought for research she knew would not save her own life.”
Precedent for dedicated Government research
The joint letter points to previous Government-backed research initiatives, including the Dame Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Research Mission, dedicated MND research funding and the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission.
It argues that £20 million over five years would be a relatively modest investment with the potential to improve diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for thousands of women while demonstrating the UK's ambition to lead in life sciences and medical research.
“If you do so, you will have our support”
The significance of today's letter is not simply the number of signatures but the extraordinary breadth of political opinion represented by them.
Political parties which fundamentally disagree on many of the major issues facing the United Kingdom have nevertheless united behind one principle:
Cancer is not party-political, and neither should be the research needed to defeat it.
The signatories ask Prime Minister Andy Burnham to make the Lobular Moon Shot Project a Government priority and establish the funding route necessary for the £20 million programme to proceed.
They conclude with a remarkably simple commitment to the Prime Minister: “If you do so, you will have our support.”