Priority boarding

As the OfS confirms its next chair, the government outlines where his priorities should lie

At about 6pm last night, the Office for Students officially confirmed that James Wharton was to be its next chair, taking over from Michael Barber in April.

Playbook has dedicated copious column inches to the suitability of Lord Wharton of Yarm for a role that demands independence. His well-documented closeness to the prime minister and his position in the House of Lords, where he still holds the Tory whip, have raised legitimate questions about the potential for conflicts of interest. Nonetheless, following his examination by the Commons education committee, Wharton has now cleared all the hurdles and will begin his OfS work shortly.