Asked how his deep knowledge of Aristotle might prepare him for life in parliament, Peter Swallow was always quick to remind voters that one of Britain¡¯s most effective politicians was a?classicist.

¡°I like to say I will model myself on a great leader who led his nation through the pandemic with distinction ¨C that is Mark Drakeford, the former first minister of Wales, who has a degree in Latin from the University of Kent,¡± quipped Dr Swallow, who, prior to being elected as?Bracknell¡¯s first-ever Labour MP last month, was a Leverhulme research fellow at Durham University.

The 30-year-old¡¯s arrival at Westminster ¨C taking a seat won by the Tories since its creation by just 784 votes ¨C will certainly bring a certain classical heft to the Commons that many felt Britain¡¯s most famous 91ÇÑ×Ór-quoting politician lacked.

¡°Whenever Boris Johnson quoted the Iliad in Greek, he would start in one section but move into a completely different part, which suggested he didn¡¯t understand what he was saying,¡± observed Dr Swallow, who took a PhD on Aristophanes at King¡¯s College London in 2020.

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But while Dr Swallow¡¯s academic credentials are perhaps a cut above the former prime minister¡¯s, he is certainly not the only new parliamentarian with significant higher education experience. According to , there are now a record 27 MPs with PhDs sitting on the green benches, including several mathematicians, a couple of materials scientists and a bevy of political scientists.

Those joining directly from academia include University of Essex professor Pam Cox, Colchester¡¯s first Labour MP since 1945; geopolitics lecturer Al Pinkerton from Royal Holloway, University of London, who captured Michael Gove¡¯s old seat of Surrey Heath for the Liberal Democrats; and University of Southampton linguistics lecturer Darren Paffey, who took the key battleground seat of Southampton Itchen for Labour.

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With many of these MPs elected on small majorities, it is perhaps naive to think they will end up devoting themselves to solving higher education¡¯s funding woes above the other interests of their constituencies.

However, their presence could make a difference about how higher education is discussed in parliament and beyond, according to Dr Swallow.

¡°It won¡¯t be the biggest issue as I campaign as an MP, but it will be important that we don¡¯t have subjects like mine being reserved for just some young people, and I will speak out about this,¡± he said.

While Labour¡¯s limited announcements on higher education since the election might have disappointed some, Dr Swallow insisted that the change in tone since Rishi Sunak was attacking ¡°rip-off degrees¡± was hugely significant. ¡°We¡¯re not going to be going after courses just because of a perception that they are lesser ¨C we need to recognise the value of subjects in the arts and humanities, and expanding access to Classics will be part of that,¡± he said, noting how a new review to ensure that school curricula are not too narrow was evidence of Labour¡¯s intent.

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And any perception that Labour is ducking a difficult decision on unfreezing tuition fees in England is also wrong, added Dr Swallow.

¡°It¡¯s important to recognise the really difficult financial situation that this government has inherited ¨C there isn¡¯t unlimited money to fix things, and we¡¯re honest about those difficult choices that we face. But university finances do need to be looked at,¡± he said.

¡°We also can¡¯t ignore student finance because it¡¯s one of the most regressive forms of taxation that it is possible to design ¨C that needs to be fair,¡± said Dr Swallow, adding that he would ¡°use my experience to support and challenge government to get the best outcomes possible¡±.

Another MP arriving from academia is Ellie Chowns, a lecturer in international development at the University of Birmingham who took North Herefordshire ¨C a Tory safe seat for decades ¨C for the Green Party with a majority of almost 6,000 votes, following an incredible 32 per cent swing.

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As one of four Green MPs, Dr Chowns will hold the party¡¯s education brief, but was frank about other issues taking precedence. ¡°I was really clear about my three priorities: renewing our economy, housing and restoring our rivers,¡± she explained. ¡°I¡¯m here to speak out for my constituents, not just for a group of universities where I used to work.

¡°I¡¯m happy to make the argument for their importance to the economy and society, but I do feel that we have an excessively narrow view of what higher education looks like ¨C I¡¯d like to see more lifelong learning and more efforts to help people above the age of 18 into different pathways, like degree apprenticeships,¡± said Dr Chowns, who also noted the Greens¡¯ long-time opposition to tuition fees.

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¡°Students are paying through the nose, so we need a debate about that too,¡± she said.

jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com