Kwasi Kwarteng reportedly vetoed appointment of leftwing academic

Independent panel had chosen Oxford professor Jonathan Michie to be chair of government-funded research body

The business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, reportedly blocked the appointment of a leading academic to run a 200m economic research body because he was allegedly considered too leftwing.

Jonathan Michie, the president of Oxford University's Kellogg College and a professor of innovation and knowledge exchange, was selected by an independent selection panel to be executive chair of the government-funded Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), reports the Financial Times.