27Jan/04Off
Five Votes
With a nominal majority of one hundred and sixty one.
Months after they started debating the issue, and after one of the most protracted and public wrangles since Tony Blair came to power, no matter what you think about the actual issue of tuition fees, I think we all need to note this: That a couple of weeks of apparently random concessions, interventions, and fudges is what was needed to get a Government Bill through its second reading with a nominal majority well into three figures.
Not exactly indicative of a government in control, is it?
January 28th, 2004 - 10:41
no, but it does show how good they are circling the wagons when push comes to shove.
Frankly, I think the whole thing is a bit pathetic – especially when you consider it is breaking a manifesto pledge … how can you trust anything they say they are going to do in future (as your earlier post mentions). Not that I did anyway ….
Of course, the fact that the tories voted against it, even though you would expect tuition fees to be the cornerstone of their education policy, shows how inconsistent and confused they are as well!