Education committee replaces suspended MP with ex-education secretary

Sir James Cleverly, who was education secretary for two months during the downfall of Boris Johnson’s premiership, has joined Parliament’s education select committee. 

Cleverly will replace Patrick Spencer, the now independent MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, who was suspended by the Conservative Party following sexual assault allegations. Spencer has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault and faces a crown court trial next month. 

A motion in the House of Commons this afternoon will officially discharge Spencer and appoint Cleverly to the education committee.

The Conservatives hold two positions on the committee. The other is held by Caroline Johnson.

Cleverly was appointed education secretary by Boris Johnson in July 2022. His appointment to DfE came in the wake of an exodus of ministers from Boris Johnson’s government in the summer of 2022, becoming education secretary after Michelle Donelan served just 35 hours in the role. 

After two months, he was promoted to foreign secretary when Liz Truss became prime minister. And after last year’s general election, he stood unsuccessfully for leader of the Conservative Party. He’s kept a low profile as a backbench MP since Kemi Badenoch won the race. 

This is not the first time the education committee has had members who were former DfE ministers. In the last parliament, Robert Halfon was appointed to chair the committee after a stint as skills and apprenticeships minister.

Committee Conservatives

Parliament’s education select committee has four live inquiries: children’s social care, further education and skills, solving the SEND crisis and higher education funding. 

Schools minister Catherine McKinnell will give evidence to the committee tomorrow morning to answer questions on the government’s SEND reform plans. She will appear alongside DfE’s SEND director Alison Ismail.

Following Spencer’s suspension, the Conservatives have only had one representative on the committee, Caroline Johnson. In an evidence session for the committee’s further education inquiry last week, Johnson and the two Liberal Democrat members did not attend, leaving just Labour members scrutinising a Labour minister.