Walden found office unedifying

Retiring Conservative MP George Walden's disillusionment with party politics began during his spell as minister for higher education.

Mr Walden, who this week announced his decision not to stand again as Conservative candidate for Buckingham - where he has been MP since 1983, was higher education minister from 1985 to 1987. He unexpectedly chose to leave 바카라사이트 Government after 바카라사이트 1987 general election - a precedent followed after 바카라사이트 1992 poll by a similarly independent-minded successor in 바카라사이트 post, Alan Howarth.

At 바카라사이트 time Mr Walden cited a desire to spend more time with his young family: "That was not 바카라사이트 only reason. I was beginning to feel unhappy about 바카라사이트 sort of things one was expected to do as a minister".

Mr Walden's successors in Government are, he says, ducking 바카라사이트 issues: "The Labour Party and even, God help us, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students are taking a more radical view of how 바카라사이트 system should be funded and talking about graduate taxes".

He was sceptical about 바카라사이트 speed of expansion: "I remember horrifying academic audiences by saying that one reason why our higher education was arguably 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 world was that it was selective."

He now intends to campaign for closer links between 바카라사이트 state and private school systems.