By
Glen Owen And Brendan Carlin
Last updated at 10:05 PM on 11th February 2012
‘Veto’: The appointment of Professor Les Ebdon as a universities tsar has been blocked by David Cameron
Vince Cable was under pressure last night after David Cameron blocked his attempt to appoint a controversial university ‘access’ tsar – and MPs prepared to publish a damning report on his chosen candidate.
Professor Les Ebdon, backed by the Business Secretary to head the Office for Fair Access, has threatened ‘nuclear’ penalties for vice-chancellors who fail to meet targets on admitting working-class students.
After a committee of MPs voted against Prof Ebdon’s appointment last week, friends of Mr Cable indicated he would ignore their wishes.
But The Mail on Sunday understands that as soon as No 10 became aware of the briefings, Mr Cable was called by Mr Cameron and ‘warned off’.
A decision on the appointment will now be made after Parliament returns from its half-term break on February 20.
Both the Prime Minister and Education Secretary Michael Gove are opposed to the appointment of University of Bedfordshire vice-chancellor Prof Ebdon, who claims top universities should lower entry requirements for candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds.
A report being published this week by the Conservatives’ Fair Access to University group, led by Tory MP Rob Wilson, is expected to savage Prof Ebdon’s arguments by concluding that the under-representation of working-class pupils in leading institutions is due to the poor quality of teaching in many state schools, rather than unfair entry hurdles.
Warned off: David Cameron telephoned Vince Cable as soon as No 10 heard of the briefings
Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi, a member of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, said Prof Ebdon would be a ‘lame duck’, adding: ‘There is no point in MPs being able to veto appointments if they are ignored.’
Last night, Mr Cable insisted Prof Ebdon remained his preferred candidate but confirmed he had had ‘amicable conversations’ with Mr Cameron over the issue. ‘We cannot do anything until Parliament reconvenes, out of courtesy to the committee,’ he added.
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