The best Twitter reactions to Toby Young's resignation

Following his controversial appointment just over a week ago, journalist and director of the New Schools Network charity Toby Young has resigned from the board of universities regulator, the Office for Students.

The news comes after a petition calling for Young to be dismissed from the role gained more than 210,000 signatures.

Critics doubted whether Young was suitable for the job, citing his past remarks on social media as proof.

Toby Young stands down from Office for Students over controversial comments https://t.co/JPc2vbGQ5Z pic.twitter.com/AFGRkIqeXw

— i newspaper (@theipaper) January 9, 2018

Now removed tweets from the Spectator columnist included sexual remarks about women's bodies and inappropriate references to masturbation.

Young (who reportedly deleted more than 40,000 tweets after the announcement of his new appointment) has since apologised for his past comments.

As a rule, though, Twitter users are not a forgiving bunch. Here are some of the best reactions to Young's resignation so far.

Of course, there's a Simpsons clip for every occasion.

Toby Young’s tenure at the office for students. pic.twitter.com/vINByurg5E

— Jamie Ross (@JamieRoss7) January 9, 2018

Some Twitter users were simply pleased to see the disgraced journalist go.

Toby Young quits. See ya! #TobyYoung pic.twitter.com/3ewUoCtiRX

— Evie the Cat (@HMCabinetCat) January 9, 2018

Others thought the government might also be to blame - although we detect a hint of sarcasm here...

You can't blame the government for appointing Toby Young in the 1st place, on the face of it he seems so warm, intelligent and knowledgeable. How could they have known?

— Mark Steel (@mrmarksteel) January 9, 2018

Embarrassing for May when not even Toby Young will continue to support Toby Young.

— Kay Sidebottom (@KaySocLearn) January 9, 2018

A few mourned the loss of Young's now unnecessarily removed tweets.

What's so sad is the loss of those 40,000 tweets that Toby Young deleted, when he could have kept them and still resigned. Big body of work, gone forever.

— Caspar Salmon (@CasparSalmon) January 9, 2018

But the majority were less sympathetic.

Toby Young, who caricatured women, working class and disabled people, quits with a complaint he is being caricatured. https://t.co/CwQ4wHDD0j

— Sophie Walker (@SophieRunning) January 9, 2018

If you're thinking of setting up a Free School, remember to call up Toby Young and talk to the Toby Young who has done 'so much to improve school standards' (apparently) and not the tweeting Toby Young.

— Michael Rosen (@MichaelRosenYes) January 9, 2018

A controversial figure in his own right Piers Morgan tweeted that he does not defend Young's "more offensive tweets or columns", but feels that he may have had something "valuable" to offer the board.

Toby Young forced out by howling Twitter mob. Great shame. I don’t defend his more offensive tweets or columns but I do think he would have brought a valuable & distinctive perspective to university education based on his past few years of dedicated commitment to free schools.

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 9, 2018

In the spirit of moving forward, though, some suggestions have been made about who might be suitable to replace Young in the future.

“Toby Young’s replacement will bring independence, rigour and caustic wit,” says Boris Johnson pic.twitter.com/WyNk2ZpCHx

— Steve Anglesey (@sanglesey) January 9, 2018