George Osborne

As ‘chief executive’ to David Cameron’s ‘chairman’, George Osborne is an exceptionally powerful figure and has overseen almost every major government policy over the last five years – not least those relating to higher education. His Budgets and Autumn Statements have often signalled major HE policy shifts such as the removal of Student Number Controls or the introduction of postgraduate loans. His commitment to science appears sincere and has largely protected it, also showing ambitions for science and research to help drive his wider plan for growth. Osborne’s deficit reduction plan set the agenda for this entire parliament, and given a context for every single government policy – many he directed personally, and a big proportion of which will have affected higher education in some way.