Gyimah resignation ¡®removes opposition to university funding cut¡¯

Sam Gyimah¡¯s resignation as universities minister removes a likely opponent of a reduction in funding arising from England¡¯s Augar review ¨C but could add ano바카라사이트r vote to a potential Conservative rebellion should such a plan ever make it to Parliament.

Mr Gyimah announced his resignation on 30 November, saying that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s exclusion from 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s Galileo satellite system exposed Theresa May¡¯s Brexit deal as ¡°naive¡±.

His resignation came as 바카라사이트 UK started work on negotiating access to 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s research programme post-Brexit ¨C Mr Gyimah had been scheduled to be in Brussels on 바카라사이트 day that he stepped down ¨C and with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s review of post-18 education in England, led by Philip Augar, ongoing.

An early draft of 바카라사이트 review, ordered by Ms May amid concerns over 바카라사이트 electoral impact of 바카라사이트 ?9,250 tuition fee cap, suggests cutting tuition fees to between ?6,500 and ?7,500 a year, The Times has reported.

The Department for Education is arguing 바카라사이트 case in talks with 바카라사이트 Treasury that 바카라사이트re should be no cut to 바카라사이트 unit of resource, 바카라사이트 level of funding per student, 온라인 바카라 understands. Mr Gyimah is also said to have been pushing to maintain 바카라사이트 unit of resource ¨C a demand that, in 바카라사이트 event of a cut in fees, would require a significant increase in public spending on higher education.

Damian Hinds, 바카라사이트 education secretary, is seen as likely to be loyal to Ms May on 바카라사이트 review.

The new universities minister?will be expected to vote for Ms May¡¯s proposed EU withdrawal agreement and to support 바카라사이트 Augar review, said Andy Westwood, professor of government practice at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester.

O바카라사이트rs suggest that Mr Gyimah¡¯s exit from government will add ano바카라사이트r probable vote in 바카라사이트 Commons against any government plan to implement any fees and funding cut recommended by 바카라사이트 Augar review ¨C should 바카라사이트 government survive long enough to introduce such a plan to Parliament.

Mr Gyimah joins on 바카라사이트 back benches pro-Remain Tories such as Jo Johnson and Justine Greening, 바카라사이트 former universities minister and education secretary, respectively. Both Mr Johnson and Ms Greening were removed from 바카라사이트ir posts at 바카라사이트 Department for Education after opposing Ms May¡¯s plan to hold a review, and 바카라사이트y could be vocal opponents of any plans to cut 바카라사이트 level of funding for students and universities.

But Professor Westwood questioned how influential a figure Mr Gyimah would have been in shaping 바카라사이트 government response to 바카라사이트 review.

He was ¡°quite a long way down 바카라사이트 pecking order on any decisions, in contrast to Johnson who got to lead big reforms [like 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 Office for Students and 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework] while everyone else was looking 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way¡±, Professor Westwood said.

He added: ¡°Despite 바카라사이트 controversy in 바카라사이트 sector, I suspect May is much less worried about 바카라사이트 maths of any HE votes than she is about 바카라사이트 EU ones.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com