Boris Johnson defends Toby Young universities appointment as 'ideal man' for the job

Foreign Secretary says he will bring 'caustic wit' to the newly-established Office for Students

Boris Johnson has defended the controversial appointment of Toby Young to the board of the new higher education watchdog, saying the right-wing journalist is the “ideal man” for the job.

The Foreign Secretary - a former editor of The Spectator magazine, where Mr Young has been a contributor - said the outcry at his selection was “ridiculous” and praised the free school pioneer for his “caustic wit”.

Mr Young’s was named as a board member for the newly-created Office for Students (OfS) on Monday, which has prompted an angry row over his professional experience and his outspoken remarks, which included derogatory comments about women and gay people.

Labour has demanded that Theresa May reverse the appointment, telling The Independent that she was sending a message to students that “misogyny and homophobia will not just be tolerated but rewarded.”

Mr Johnson posted on Twitter: “Ridiculous outcry over Toby Young. He will bring independence, rigour and caustic wit. Ideal man for job.”

Much of the criticism has focused on historic tweets and articles containing derogatory remarks about women and gay people, including a column where he railed against "ghastly" inclusivity of wheelchair ramps in schools.

Questions were also raised about the Department for Education's descriptions of Mr Young's experience, after incorrect claims emerged that he had held posts Harvard and Cambridge.

But Mr Young later clarified that while he did teach students at the institutions, these were not academic roles.

A DfE spokesperson said: "Toby Young's diverse experience includes time at Harvard and Cambridge as well as co-founding the successful West London Free School.

"This experience will be vital in encouraging new providers and ensuring more universities are working effectively with schools."

Mr Young said he regretted that several of his comments were "sophomoric and silly" but claimed some of his words were being deliberately misinterpreted to characterise him as a "heartless Tory toff".

He said in a statement: "For the record, I’m a supporter of women’s rights and LGBT rights. Indeed, I was a supporter of gay marriage, defended the policy in the Sun on Sunday and debated Nigel Farage on the topic in the Daily Telegraph.

"I’m also a defender of teaching children with disabilities in mainstream schools. I have an older brother with learning disabilities and I’m a patron of the residential care home he’s lived in for 20 years.

"But I am a Tory, obviously, and for some people that alone is enough to disqualify me from serving on the OfS’s board. That’s plainly nonsense. If the OfS is to do its job properly it should include people from both sides of the political divide, left and right."

The OfS has been established to hold universities to account on issues such as free speech and vice chancellor's pay.