Jo Johnson, reappointed as universities and science minister little more than a month ago, has?announced that he is quitting as a minister and standing down as an MP.

An ardent pro-Remain campaigner during the European Union referendum, he had been reappointed at the end of July by the UK¡¯s new prime minister, his brother Boris.

But today, Jo Johnson tweeted that in recent weeks he had been ¡°torn between family loyalty and the national interest¡±. ¡°It¡¯s an unresolvable tension [and it¡¯s] time for others to take on my roles as MP and minister,¡± he said.

This week¡¯s purge of Tory moderates from the party by Boris Johnson ¨C after the rebels backed a plan to prevent the new government from taking the UK out of the EU without a deal ¨C may have been a factor in his decision.

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His departure means that a new universities and science minister will take up the post ¨C a new minister unlikely to share the pro-European views of the departing Jo Johnson.

A Downing Street spokesman said: ¡°The prime minister would like to thank Jo Johnson for his service. He has been a brilliant, talented minister and a fantastic MP.

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¡°The PM, as both a politician and brother, understands this will not have been an easy matter for Jo. The constituents of Orpington could not have asked for a better representative.¡±

Jo Johnson was expected to step down as an MP for Orpington at the next general election, expected later this autumn.

Angela Rayner,?Labour's shadow education secretary, said: ¡°Boris Johnson poses such a threat that even his own brother doesn¡¯t trust him.

¡°We have now had four higher education ministers in two years - just the latest sign of the chaos that the Tories have caused to education and the threat that a disastrous no deal Brexit poses to our colleges and universities.¡±

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john.morgan@timeshighereducation.com