ARE THEY HIDING SOMETHING? UK Government report on announcement of alien life shelved just as first report was due... with 'nothing to release'

EXCLUSIVE: A government study to prepare for the potential existence of alien life has been shelved by the Labour Party before anything was published.

Earlier in the year it was revealed that the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) was engaged in research into how the government would respond to a so-called "black swan event" - or the discovery of alien life - and how it would be announced to the public.

One aspect of the study was to establish if such an announcement plan has already been devised.

After six months of work a report was expected in July, but the new Labour Government has claimed there is nothing to release and hat the project has been shelved indefinitely.

An internal report was supposed to be presented to the DSIT Permanent Secretary detailing ideas for an action plan including opportunities, challenges and areas of expertise that could be explored.

News of the study was welcomed by Nick Pope, who investigated UFOs for the British Ministry of Defence (MoD).

He said at the time: "I’m very pleased to hear this study is being carried out, because it’s long overdue.

"Rumours are circulating in the scientific community that strong evidence of a biosignature has already been detected by the James Webb Space Telescope, and whatever might have been found, it’s very possible that an announcement about a biosignature – or perhaps even a techosignature – is imminent.

"As always, it’s better to have a plan and not need it, than need it and not have it.

"DSIT rightly categorises the discovery of extraterrestrial life as a black swan scientific event.

"It’s arguably the ultimate black swan scientific event. The societal impact of finding extraterrestrial life is impossible to overstate. It would arguably be the biggest and most important scientific discovery of all time, and the most impactful.

"This is particularly true if we find intelligent life, especially if we were to interact with it in some way. This would have profound effects on almost every aspect of society, including politics, religion, science, technology, and much more besides.

"In the worst case scenario, we might be facing an existential threat.

"How would people react to finding evidence of an advanced civilisation on a planet orbiting a nearby star? Especially, as some believe, if they’re already sending probes here."

The existence of the study was discovered by Mr Pope through a Freedom of Information Act request.

He was so excited by the prospect that he has since submitted anothher one asking for the initial report.

However, unfortunately, the response said it had been quietly scrapped with nothing to be published.

The response said: "We can update you that this study has been paused indefinitely, so I’m afraid there is no new information available."

Mr Pope (pictured above) then asked for any aspects of the study undertaken so far and he received another frustrating reply.

It said: "The study into the discovery of life and black swan events has been paused due to the

general election and a change of administration leading to a focus on other workstreams."

Mr Pope said: "This is a sad day for science. The question of whether or not we're alone in the universe is one of the biggest and most profound questions we can ask, and discovering extraterrestrial life would arguably be the biggest scientific discovery of all time.

"Questions about how such a discovery would be announced to the public, and what the wider societal impact might be, are both important and interesting.

"This is a lost opportunity and I hope that DSIT will review their decision and restart the study as soon as possible. This is an opportunity for the UK to lead a global conversation on a topic that would affect the entire world."