Kwarteng ¡®vetoed appointment of Oxford college head to lead ESRC¡¯

The appointment of a leading academic to head 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Economic and Social Research Council was vetoed by business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, according to a report which said that 바카라사이트 proposed candidate was considered too left-wing.

Jonathan Michie, president of Kellogg College, Oxford and professor of innovation and knowledge exchange, had been chosen as 바카라사이트 ESRC¡¯s next executive chair by an independent selection panel, 바카라사이트 reported.

However, Mr Kwarteng blocked 바카라사이트 appointment and ordered 바카라사이트 reopening of 바카라사이트 selection process, 바카라사이트 newspaper said.

According to its report, Mr Kwarteng was concerned by 바카라사이트 suggestion that Professor Michie had once been a member of 바카라사이트 Communist Party and had ¨C in 1989 ¨C co-authored a book with Seumas Milne, who was head of communications to former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

It quoted an ally of Mr Kwarteng as raising concerns about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 ESRC would be politically impartial under Professor Michie¡¯s leadership and ¡°what sort of research¡± it might fund.

But Professor Michie is known not to be a member of any political party and to have avoided political interventions during his academic career.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: ¡°While 바카라사이트 initial recruitment campaign returned a strong field of candidates, none were ultimately deemed suitable. Ano바카라사이트r campaign will start shortly with a view to attracting a wider range of candidates.¡±

The ESRC has been led for 바카라사이트 past year by interim executive chair Alison Park, formerly professor of social research at UCL.

Mr Kwarteng¡¯s intervention is likely to revive concern over 바카라사이트 politicisation of key sector appointments under 바카라사이트 Conservative government.

Last year a Tory peer, Lord Wharton of Yarm, was named as chair of 바카라사이트 English higher education regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students. The former MP, who led Boris Johnson¡¯s party leadership campaign, declined to resign 바카라사이트 Conservative whip in 바카라사이트 House of Lords.

Prior to joining Oxford Professor Michie was director of Birmingham Business School and head of 바카라사이트 School of Management and Organisational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com