Toby Young resigns following petition
More than 200,000 people called for him to go
Toby Young - the controversial appointment to a new board of university regulators - has decided to step down.
It follows widespread criticism for previous comments he had made.
The right-wing journalist apologised for those comments, calling them 'misjudged' and ill-advised.
In a statement in The Spectator he said:
"I have decided to stand down from the Office for Students. My appointment has become a distraction from its vital work of broadening access to higher education and defending academic freedom. Education is my passion and I want now to be able to get on with the work I have been doing to promote and support the free schools movement. These schools have already done a huge amount to raise standards in some of England’s most deprived areas and the next challenge is to extend those benefits to every area of educational underperformance."
Published: by Radio NewsHub