Dedicated followers of Halfon

On the last day of term, we assess the outgoing higher education minister’s legacy

It seems like only yesterday Robert Halfon was telling the higher education sector that it was living in an earthly paradise of the government’s making. In fact, it was last week at a Commons education committee hearing: “I think that in the current circumstances, with the challenges that the country faces, the challenges the economy faces, [universities have] no mean whack of money,” he said.

Yesterday teatime, the skills, apprenticeships and higher education minister resigned from the government with immediate effect and said he would not be standing as an MP at the next election. He was quickly replaced by Luke Hall as a minister in the Department for Education, although Hall’s portfolio is yet to be confirmed by Downing Street.