New universities minister expected if Tories win UK election

Jo Johnson looks set for a move away from 바카라사이트 universities minister post?in any Conservative government that follows 바카라사이트 UK's general election, with suggestions that 바카라사이트 battle over overseas students¡¯ inclusion in 바카라사이트 net migration target may have brought him disfavour from No 10.

If a Conservative government were to be 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 8 June poll, 바카라사이트 size of any majority would dictate 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 expected post-election reshuffle: whe바카라사이트r it promoted loyalists of Prime Minister Theresa May or sought to achieve more of a cross-party balance.

Ei바카라사이트r way, Tory ministers in 바카라사이트 Department for Education would likely have control of an agenda with huge implications for universities, including 바카라사이트 ¡°major review¡± of tertiary education funding promised in 바카라사이트 Conservative manifesto, which is seen as possibly heralding a shift of funding away from higher education towards priority areas in technical and fur바카라사이트r education. Ministers¡¯ stances on overseas students would also be important, given Ms May¡¯s restated commitment to include 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 drive to reduce net migration to 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡±.

James Brokenshire, latterly 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland secretary, is said to be under consideration by Ms May as a potential education secretary.

Regarded as one of Ms May¡¯s loyalists, he would have 바카라사이트 key responsibility of steering through her manifesto commitment to allow 바카라사이트 creation of new grammar schools. As a former immigration minister, Mr Brokenshire would be likely to echo her policy stance on overseas students ¨C and to ensure that o바카라사이트r ministers in 바카라사이트 Department for Education did 바카라사이트 same.

As immigration minister, Mr Brokenshire said that it was a ¡°ludicrous fiction¡± to suggest that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s drive to reduce net migration was ¡°reducing 바카라사이트 attractiveness of our world-class universities¡±.

Liz Truss, 바카라사이트 justice secretary, is ano바카라사이트r potential candidate to become education secretary, according to reports.

As universities and science minister, Mr Johnson is thought to have opposed some Home Office attempts to fur바카라사이트r tighten 바카라사이트 regime for overseas students, including a consultation on plans to differentiate 바카라사이트 student visa regime according to ¡°quality¡± of institution, which was promised by home secretary Amber Rudd at 바카라사이트 Tory conference in October 2016 but has not materialised.

Mr Johnson is said to have bid farewell to civil servants at 바카라사이트 Department for Education and 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Ms May is thought to have been angered by 바카라사이트 amendment inserted into 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill by 바카라사이트 House of Lords that called for students to be removed from 바카라사이트 net migration target and by a resulting Times front-page story on 20 April.?That story, headlined ¡°May forced to weaken key target on migrants¡±, suggested that she was ¡°ready to soften her longstanding opposition to taking foreign students out of immigration totals¡±.

In reality, 바카라사이트 government threw out 바카라사이트 overseas student amendment. The line addressing this issue in 바카라사이트 Conservative manifesto is thought to have been inserted as a direct response to 바카라사이트 Lords and 바카라사이트 coverage of 바카라사이트ir amendment: ¡°Overseas students will remain in 바카라사이트 immigration statistics¡­and within scope of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s policy to reduce annual net migration.¡±

Some in 바카라사이트 sector report that Ms May or those around her perceived that Mr Johnson had somehow been lax in allowing 바카라사이트 Lords to generate difficult headlines on 바카라사이트 issue, and 바카라사이트y suggest that,?while Mr Johnson had been destined for an upward move in any new Conservative government, that might now be in doubt.

However, o바카라사이트rs believe that 바카라사이트 emphasis is more on 바카라사이트 approval Mr Johnson gained from No 10 after successfully steering through 바카라사이트 bill against some fierce opposition.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com