Professor Les Ebdon: appointed as university access czar
10 April 2012
Vince Cable sparked a fresh Coalition row today as he approved the appointment of Professor Les Ebdon as university access czar.
Tory MPs were outraged after the Business Secretary ignored attempts by a cross-party committee to stop Professor Ebdon, pictured right, taking up the post.
Members of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee raised fears the appointment would lead to "levelling down" by universities. But in a letter to chairman Adrian Bailey, Mr Cable said he had found the "right person" to head the Office for Fair Access (Offa).
Senior Tories today asked Commons Speaker John Bercow to summon the Business Secretary to the despatch box to explain why he was ignoring the committee.
