After an embarrassing squabble between the coalition partners and allegations of ‘horse-trading’ politics, Professor Les Ebdon has finally been confirmed this week as the new Director of the Office for Fair Access. Conservative ministers from the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, who had vetoed Ebdon’s appointment, perhaps because of his history of tuition fees criticism, were forced to back down, admitting that their report was “advisory only.”

Speaking in the House of Commons, Business Secretary Vince Cable reiterated his and Universities Minister David Willetts’ support for Ebdon and outlined the enormous task that lies ahead before true equality of access to higher education will be achieved. Cable emphasised that in spite of some progress over the past decade, there is “much that remains to be done” in “securing fair access to the most selective universities”. He pointed out the shocking statistic that only around 50 out of the 80,000 pupils receiving free school meals currently make it to Oxbridge.

Referring briefly to the controversy surrounding Ebdon’s appointment, Cable claimed that the selection process had been carried out in a “fair, competitive and transparent way,” and that it was Ebdon’s “considerable experience” in the realm of higher education that made him the right person for the job. He voiced his confidence that Ebdon has “the qualities and determination to help those students from low income and under-represented groups to secure the places in higher education that their attainments and potential show they deserve”.

But will Ebdon truly make a difference to the shockingly skewed statistics showing that access to the UK’s most elite universities remains the preserve of the rich and private school educated? Since its formation in 2004, OFFA has never once used its power to prevent a single university from charging the level of fees they chose, leading it to be frequently dubbed a “toothless regulator” and “government lap dog” in the press. At his pre-appointment hearing with the Commons Buisness, Innovation and Skills Select Committee, Ebdon voiced his determination to be prepared to use those sanctions where necessary, perhaps accounting for the panicky response of the Conservative MPs on the committee.

Describing the sanction that would allow him as Director to refuse universities the right to charge high tuition fees, Ebdon said “that is clearly the sanction that one uses”. Referring to the regulating body’s passive history, he pointed out that “once one talks about nuclear buttons, if you ever say you will never press the nuclear button then you don’t have a nuclear button.” Ebdon certainly implied that those universities who have become complacent that they will not face consequences for reneging on their access agreements will finally have to “realise that…there will be an office which will not be afraid to employ sanctions if they don’t achieve these outcomes.”

But just exactly how much power Ebdon will truly wield remains to be seen. Though the BIS committee acquiesced to his appointment, there was a sting in the tail of their U-turn, as it was “strongly” proposed that “Professor Ebdon should appear before the committee at regular intervals”. This ominous threat of careful monitoring and control suggests that sailing in on a white horse and slashing away at unfair access arrangements may not be quite as simple as Ebdon and his supporters had hoped.