“If ministers were to interfere in Ofqual’s decisions they would be meddling where they should not interfere.”

Westminster education secretary Michael Gove, in response to Opposition demands that he intervene in the GCSE grading row.

“Our analysis with leading immigration lawyers demonstrates that this report of the UKBA is wrong . We fundamentally contest the claim that there is systemic failure here.”

London Metropolitan University vice-chancellor Malcolm Gillies announcing a legal challenge to the UKBA’s revocation of its licence to sponsor international students.