Following Boris Johnson's resignation in order to seek the Conservative nomination for the London mayoralty Rob Wilson has been appointed Shadow Minister for Higher Education.
Rob was elected as a Member of Parliament in May 2005 after being selected by an open selection process that was pioneered in Reading East. He has served on the Education Select Committee for two years and sat on the Standing Committee for the Further Education Bill. He has also previously served as Education spokesman for Conservatives on Reading Borough Council.
Perhaps we might start to think properly about Higher Education policy shortly?
Posted by: Andrew Lilico | July 27, 2007 at 16:23
Properly? Boris seemed rather devoted to his brief to me.
Posted by: mike | July 27, 2007 at 16:24
Excellent move by Cameron. Wilson is a great MP, a thinker and, most importantly, already well known among the wider public from his work on the Education Select Committee.
If I was John Denham I'd be having a rather sleepless night tonight. Be interesting to see what the papers make of this tomorrow.
Posted by: Oliver Arthurs | July 27, 2007 at 16:32
Rob Wilson has impressed since his fine victory in Reading East, so looks like a good appointment to me.
Posted by: Graham D'Amiral | July 27, 2007 at 16:48
I'm with you, Mike - Boris was a usefully thoughtful and visible feature of the Higher Education debate.
Those of us still in/working with Higher Education saw plenty of him, and heard interesting ideas from him. I'm a bit puzzled as to quite what Andrew L meant...
Posted by: BorisforPM | July 27, 2007 at 17:00
I'm with you, Mike - Boris was a usefully thoughtful and visible feature of the Higher Education debate.
Those of us still in/working with Higher Education saw plenty of him, and heard interesting ideas from him. I'm a bit puzzled as to quite what Andrew L meant...
Posted by: BorisforPM | July 27, 2007 at 17:00
I wasn't criticizing Boris as not hardworking or anything like that. But our Party's positions on Higher Education have veered from one form of incoherence or non-Conservatism to another ever since 1996.
Posted by: Andrew Lilico | July 27, 2007 at 17:12
Perhaps "Boris for PM" may wish to comment on his hero's proposal to sell nuclear weapons to Iran in the Daily Telegraph, October 2006.
Boris is barking mad and unfit to lead this great city never mind the country!
Posted by: Dismayed | July 27, 2007 at 17:39
Boris Johnson is a walking joke.
People don't laugh with him, They laugh AT him
Posted by: Al Hamilton | July 27, 2007 at 17:50
this is a non story given whats happening in the comments. Youve got some real explaining to do.
Posted by: Jason Smith | July 27, 2007 at 19:07
This seems like a good appointment - sounds like he has plenty of HE experience.
I don't really understand what Andrew Lilico means - our higher education policy at the last election was fairly sound and would have gone down well with the student vote if it had actually been explained properly.
Posted by: Mark | July 27, 2007 at 19:10
Al Hamilton.
You are right. Boris johnson doesn't have anything to say to me that im intrested in. Hes a twerp. Hes a bit of a laugh but ive read his telegraph column and it really isnt on my planet. which is half the problem with the tory front bench.
Show me a front bencher whose ever had to fight off bailiffs?
Posted by: Jason Smith | July 27, 2007 at 19:10
Congratulations Rob. You deserve it.
Proves that nice guys can do well in politics!
Posted by: Dan Hamilton | July 27, 2007 at 19:53
Dan is so right. Rob Wilson's result in 2005 was truly excellent and his promotion is well deserved. I offer my heartiest congratulations!
Posted by: Dismayed | July 27, 2007 at 20:37
Warrington South also pioneered the open primary in that cycle, selecting the excellent Fiona Bruce.
Posted by: Deputy Editor | July 28, 2007 at 03:33
I had no strong opinions about Rob Wilson - until I heard him on the radio appeasing militant Islamists.
He was joining in chorus of criticism of Sir Salman Rushie's knighthood. Muslims who takes offence at an honour bestowed on a leading writer obviously have no understanding of free speech or the principles of liberal democracy, yet Wilson, far from trying to educate them, was seeking to align himself with their aggressive and presumptuous demands.
Given the fact that Hizb-ut-Tahrir and other groups that act as conveyor belts to terrorism are active on our campuses, I find it worrying that our new Shadow Minister for Higher Education obviously has no understanding of the threat we face.
Posted by: Common Sense | July 28, 2007 at 11:02
"Common Sense" that is a ludicrous comment. He can be opposed to Salman Rushdie's knighthood without in anyway supporting militant Islam.
As it happens Wilson does have a sizeable Muslim community in Reading East but to suggest that he is in some way is endorsing Hizb-ut-Tahrir is plainly daft.
Posted by: Sanity | July 28, 2007 at 12:18
Well done Rob!
A well-earned and well-deserved promotion for one of the hardest working members of the 2005 intake.
It's great to see a man rooted firmly in the real world will be gearing our HE policy towards the challenges of the 21st century.
Posted by: Nirj Deva MEP | July 28, 2007 at 16:09
Sanity is obviously a bit dense.
He says of Rob Wilson: "He can be opposed to Salman Rushdie's knighthood without in anyway supporting militant Islam."
I doubt Rob Wilson is an active enthusiast for militant Islam and, of course, I didn't suggest that he was. But by speaking out against Rushdie's knighthood at the precise moment at which malignant and reactionary elements within Islam were in full cry, Wilson lent respectability to their outrageous demands. These people need to be isolated, not appeased.
The singularly ill-named 'Sanity' also says of Rob Wilson: "...to suggest that he is in some way is endorsing Hizb-ut-Tahrir is plainly daft."
Yes, that would be daft - which is why I didn't say it! What I suggested was that Mr Wilson may be blind to the threat of HuT on campus. I sincerely hope that the presence of Muslims in Reading East does not account for Rob Wilson's anti-Rushdie outburst. If so, he should hang his head in shame. Sucking up to the worst elements among his Muslim constituents would sicken the rest of the electorate.
Perhaps Rob Wilson should look at the example of Paul Goodman in Wycombe to see how a Conservative MP with a sizeable Muslim minority can maintain good relationships with the community without pandering to loud-mouths with no grasp of the principles of liberal democracy.
Posted by: Common Sense | July 31, 2007 at 09:27