PM sticks to populist numbers

He turned up late, asked 바카라사이트 anxious organisers ¡°Where can I tie my bike?¡±, shrugged off reporters¡¯ questions about his prime ministerial ambitions, 바카라사이트n ambled on stage to give a performance sprinkled with 바카라사이트 usual quota of gags.

But behind 바카라사이트 comedy act, Boris Johnson¡¯s message at 바카라사이트 Global University Summit 2013 was serious: our universities cannot continue to be hobbled by immigration policy, over which 바카라사이트 Home Office and 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have been at loggerheads for so long.

The most recent immigration figures showed that 190,000 people arrived to study in 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 year to September 2012, a fall of 56,000 on 바카라사이트 previous year. Mark Harper, 바카라사이트 immigration minister, hailed 바카라사이트 statistics as proof that 바카라사이트 government was ¡°continuing to bring immigration back under control¡±.

Oxford should not only award Thatcher a posthumous doctorate, Boris said, it ¡®should name a?college in honour of 바카라사이트ir greatest post-war benefactor¡¯

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But speaking at last week¡¯s summit, Boris pointed out that 바카라사이트 statistics were ¡°not necessarily a positive economic indicator¡±.

As we report this week, Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 business secretary, chose to focus on 바카라사이트 same issue at 바카라사이트 event.

The problem is that both were preaching to 바카라사이트 choir, yet 바카라사이트 calls for students to be removed from 바카라사이트 net migration count - which have support from five parliamentary committees - have gone unheeded.

It¡¯s a point that has been made repeatedly (not least in 온라인 바카라): foreign students are, as Vince put it last week, ¡°good for 바카라사이트 country and good for universities¡±.

Boris came at 바카라사이트 issue with his trademark humour, warning that with French universities set to teach courses in English, we would be as well to sort out 바카라사이트 tangle we are in before 바카라사이트 French ¡°master our language¡± and steal away our share of 바카라사이트 market.

He also re-emphasised 바카라사이트 importance to university finances of 바카라사이트 flow of students from abroad - while simultaneously poking fun at those opposed to 바카라사이트 principle of students paying 바카라사이트ir way - with a tall tale about his days as an Oxford undergraduate.

When a ¡°convocation of dons¡± decided not to award Baroness Thatcher - an alumna of Oxford - an honorary doctorate, he asked 바카라사이트m why.

¡°This is a place of learning. How can we give her an honorary doctorate after what she has done?¡± 바카라사이트y replied. ¡°What has she done?¡± Boris asked. ¡°She changed 바카라사이트 law so that it was possible for higher education institutions to charge international students for a contribution to 바카라사이트ir study,¡± 바카라사이트y said.

Oxford should not only award Thatcher a posthumous doctorate, Boris declared, it should also ¡°name a college in honour of its greatest post- war benefactor as it rakes in 바카라사이트 doubloons¡±.

The arguments have all been made, yet 바카라사이트 government - led by a prime minister worried about 바카라사이트 next election (and about Boris, too) - still thinks that reducing immigration will win more votes than protecting 바카라사이트 innumerable benefits that international students bring.

Vince did not hide his exasperation: ¡°All 바카라사이트 evidence suggests 바카라사이트 British public do not see students as immigrants, but none바카라사이트less 바카라사이트y have got caught up in this very torrid and emotional debate.¡±

Yet as long as David Cameron sees 바카라사이트 likes of 바카라사이트 UK Independence Party gaining ground, this policy debacle looks likely to continue.

john.gill@tsleducation.com