Jonathan Gullis finally gets a job

In October last year the former teacher told the BBC how he hadn’t had a single job interview in the three months since losing his seat, putting the refusal to accept his applications down to his political views rather than, say, the fact anyone googling him would find hours of footage of him in the House of Commons hurling personal abuse at his opponents in the manner of somebody stumbling out of a Burslem pub at kicking-out time. 

“I think that in some schools, with some teachers, my views won’t be something that is popular,” he moaned. Fortunately he was able to keep the wolf from the door with some presenting shifts for Rupert Murdoch’s little-watched online TV channel Talk.

Now, however, Gullis is back – joining the Centre for Social Justice, the right wing think tank founded by Iain Duncan Smith, as a senior fellow. Gullis will be “leading the think tank’s research into connecting the education system with the world of work”.

“There’s much to do – and I’m excited to get started,” he cheered. “My aim is to develop practical, impactful policy proposals that can attract cross-party support, helping more young people into meaningful work, tackling the skills gap, and supporting the government’s mission to grow the economy.”

Unfortunately for the former MP, many of his fans on Facebook were less excited about their man’s move into the world of wonkery than disappointed he wasn’t joining their new favourite party.

“Absolute shame you didn’t join Reform, you’d still be an MP,” says one, while another said: “I still hope you’ll join Reform UK though” . A third said “Goodluck Jonathan but would still love you to join reform bud lol” (presumably not a reference to Goodluck Jonathan the former president of Nigeria).

And one wrote: “We kneed [sic] you here has [sic] a mp hope u jump ship and help us to get rid off [sic] the clown that’s there now’s [sic]”. Lots to do in the world of education, then!