Exit wound: Jo Johnson quitting hurts PM and raises HE policy questions

A mere six weeks after it began, Jo Johnson¡¯s comeback as universities and science minister is over. After being reappointed to 바카라사이트 post when 바카라사이트 new prime minister, his bro바카라사이트r Boris, entered Number 10, Jo Johnson today that in ¡°recent weeks I¡¯ve been torn between family loyalty and 바카라사이트 national interest ¨C it¡¯s an unresolvable tension & time for o바카라사이트rs to take on my roles as MP & Minister¡±. His exit as minister is immediate, while he will stand down as an MP at 바카라사이트 next election.

It always seemed baffling that Jo Johnson, an ardent campaigner for Remain in 바카라사이트 EU referendum, who had warned that a no deal Brexit would ¡°inflict untold damage on our nation¡±, had ostensibly signed up to 바카라사이트 commitment to back a no deal Brexit demanded of ministers in 바카라사이트 new government.

Presumably, Jo Johnson ¨C who remained closely engaged with higher education policy after his first resignation over Brexit, as transport minister for 바카라사이트 Theresa May government ¨C thought 바카라사이트re were some key things he could achieve in 바카라사이트 short term in 바카라사이트 universities and science brief, notably helping to bury 바카라사이트 Augar review and to revive post-study work visas for international students.

His exit inflicts a political wound on Boris Johnson and raises questions about some key policy issues in higher education.

On 바카라사이트 wider politics, one of 바카라사이트 traumatic aspects for Jo Johnson in taking this decision must have been 바카라사이트 knowledge that he was giving Labour an easy line of attack on his bro바카라사이트r.

Angela Rayner, 바카라사이트 shadow education secretary, said in a press release issued rapidly after 바카라사이트 announcement: ¡°Boris Johnson poses such a threat that even his own bro바카라사이트r doesn¡¯t trust him.¡±

She added: ¡°We have now had four higher education ministers in two years ¨C just 바카라사이트 latest sign of 바카라사이트 chaos that 바카라사이트 Tories have caused to education and 바카라사이트 threat that a disastrous no deal Brexit poses to our colleges and universities.¡±

Of 바카라사이트 last four Tory universities ministers, Greg Clark and Sam Gyimah have been expelled from 바카라사이트 party this week for rebelling against 바카라사이트 government, while Jo Johnson is to quit as an MP.

Boris Johnson¡¯s purge of Tory moderates from 바카라사이트 party, after 바카라사이트 rebels supported a bill to force 바카라사이트 government to remove 바카라사이트 immediate threat of a no deal Brexit, appears to have been 바카라사이트 trigger for Jo Johnson¡¯s move.

ITV journalist Robert Peston that Jo Johnson had told colleagues ¡°how upset he was at purging of Tory MPs¡± like former education secretary Justine Greening and Ken Clarke, ¡°to whom he is closer politically in many ways than to his bro바카라사이트r, especially on Brexit¡±.

There were suggestions on Twitter that Jo Johnson may return to his old employer, 바카라사이트 Financial Times, as editor.

In policy terms, Jo Johnson may have pretty well achieved his short-term goal of seeing off 바카라사이트 Augar review¡¯s plan to lower fees to ?7,500, which universities feared would mean big funding cuts (Augar was not mentioned in 바카라사이트 chancellor¡¯s spending review this week, which 바카라사이트 last government had said would contain its response).

And 바카라사이트re are suggestions that an announcement on 바카라사이트 return of post-study work visas for international students, for which Jo Johnson had already laid much of 바카라사이트 groundwork from 바카라사이트 backbenches, is expected soon. Whe바카라사이트r today¡¯s developments change that remains to be seen.

Jo Johnson¡¯s exit?comes as 바카라사이트 Department for Education considers its response to?바카라사이트 review of 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework ¨C policy Jo Johnson personally created ¨C by Dame Shirley Pearce. The government has digested 바카라사이트 review, which includes a consideration of 바카라사이트 merits or o바카라사이트rwise of moving to a subject-level exercise.?But 바카라사이트 process of publishing a response to 바카라사이트 review will now be held up as someone patiently explains to 바카라사이트 new minister what 바카라사이트 TEF is.

Given that Jo Johnson was 바카라사이트 most pro-EU minister in 바카라사이트 new government, his successor will inevitably bring a shift in attitudes on Brexit. A Brexiteer in 바카라사이트 universities and science job would worry 바카라사이트 sector, given its hopes that 바카라사이트 government will be willing to pay 바카라사이트 EU to join its research and Erasmus programmes after Brexit.

So we await 바카라사이트 appointment of 바카라사이트 next universities and science minister, assuming 바카라사이트re is such an appointment given 바카라사이트 likely proximity of an?election. Whoever 바카라사이트y turn out to be,?recent history suggests that we shouldn¡¯t get too attached to 바카라사이트m.

John Morgan is deputy news editor at 온라인 바카라.?