International rescue

A timely Hepi report arrives to contribute to debates on student visas

When Suella Braverman resigned as home secretary over an alleged data breach in October, Universities UK chief executive Vivienne Stern said that “to state the obvious, we are delighted”. Stern and universities were less delighted when Braverman returned to the post six days later through the Home Office’s revolving door.

Braverman owes her position as home secretary to prime minister Rishi Sunak’s burning desire to avoid a leadership election last autumn, which he may have lost on a membership vote to Boris Johnson. As a former chair of the European Research Group of Brexit ultras, her position in the cabinet guarantees—for now—unity within the Conservative parliamentary party and it is pretty difficult for Sunak to move her on.