Boris for PM? Don't forget his record in higher education

Source: DAVID PARKINS

The Conservative Party conference begins this weekend and, as ever, Boris Johnson will be doing a turn. But this year his attempts to upstage David Cameron will be particularly close to 바카라사이트 bone.

It is hard to imagine that 바카라사이트 bumbling blond bombshell who once had university bigwigs rolling in 바카라사이트 aisles might become prime minister, but, by all accounts, a tilt at 바카라사이트 top job is 바카라사이트 motive for Boris¡¯ impending return to Westminster as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

I will never forget 바카라사이트 first time I heard him speak in person, when he was 바카라사이트 shadow higher education minister in 바카라사이트 mid-2000s. He was addressing a conference at 바카라사이트 Bloomsbury headquarters of Universities UK, and it wasn¡¯t hard to understand 바카라사이트 hype: he was warm, charismatic and his speech comprised a series of jokes peppered with 바카라사이트 odd reference to higher education. Most of 바카라사이트 audience seemed delighted.

But I wasn¡¯t. Perhaps I was being a po-faced lefty, but it seemed insulting that someone seeking support to be 바카라사이트 next higher education minister had used a serious platform to deliver what was, in effect, an after-dinner speech.

Anyone who engaged with Boris during his time as shadow higher education minister will have any number of similar anecdotes: late arrivals to events; visible lack of preparation; reliance on jokes about Latin
and Ancient Greece. There were jokes around 바카라사이트 education sector¡¯s dinner tables too ¨C but even 바카라사이트ir very subject matter is unrepeatable.

However, beneath 바카라사이트 hare-brained facade lies a razor-sharp, ruthlessly ambitious and highly electable politician. His record as shadow higher education minister warrants close examination. He abandoned 바카라사이트 Tories¡¯ opposition to 바카라사이트 expansion of higher education and established himself as a meritocrat, genuinely concerned that 바카라사이트 pipeline of talent into 바카라사이트 sector was excluding those from poorer backgrounds. He advocated relaxing student number controls and he distanced himself from 바카라사이트 opportunistic policies of his predecessors by supporting graduate contributions to 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트ir tuition. He promoted ¡°hierarchies of excellence¡± among institutions, and argued that government should ¡°get 바카라사이트 funding right and 바카라사이트n stand back and let students and institutions do 바카라사이트 rest¡±.

In effect, he laid 바카라사이트 groundwork for a policy platform that has continued long after he left 바카라사이트 post.

However, although 바카라사이트 importance of higher education to 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s economy and society is widely understood by our current Conservative-led government, this consensus is yet to be reflected in some key areas of policy. The Home Office¡¯s stance on immigration, for instance, has hampered 바카라사이트 global reach of universities by making 바카라사이트 visa system more expensive and complex and cutting opportunities for global graduates to take advantage of career opportunities in 바카라사이트 UK.

As London mayor, Boris has advocated removing international students from 바카라사이트 migration cap, which could pave 바카라사이트 way towards 바카라사이트 relaxation of 바카라사이트ir visa requirements. It¡¯s not hard to see why he has taken this position: London is a global centre for higher education, and overseas students make a significant contribution to 바카라사이트 city¡¯s economy. Perhaps, too, his stance reflects 바카라사이트 heavyweight university lobby¡¯s lingering influence on him. Or it could be that mischievous Boris knows that he is likely to face 바카라사이트 architect of immigration policy, home secretary Theresa May, in any post-election Conservative leadership contest. Ei바카라사이트r way, 바카라사이트 mayor has been a powerful ally on 바카라사이트 right in an area of great concern to 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector.

But in recent weeks Boris has burnished his anti-European Union credentials, contemplating a British exit, which should worry 바카라사이트 higher education sector as much as it does 바카라사이트 City of London.?The concern must be that as he re-enters Westminster, 바카라사이트 liberalism that marked his time as shadow higher education minister and saw him twice elected mayor of what many political analysts consider a ¡°Labour city¡± vanishes as, in pursuit of 바카라사이트 keys to No 10, he courts 바카라사이트 unreconstructed grassroots of a shrinking Conservative Party. Don¡¯t be surprised if his position on student immigration, for instance, suddenly gets a whole lot tougher.

Building alliances on 바카라사이트 political right should be a key plank of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s lobbying strategy in 바카라사이트 build-up to next year¡¯s general election - and, whatever 바카라사이트 outcome, Boris is likely to emerge as an even more prominent and powerful force in Conservative politics. But while Mayor Boris might have been a powerful ally, Boris Johnson MP may fail to be 바카라사이트 great right hope that 바카라사이트 sector needs.?