DUP side with Corbyn as tuition fee rise is defeated

Theresa May has suffered her worst defeat in the House of Commons since her lucrative confidence and supply deal with the DUP was agreed earlier this year. Every member of the DUP voted alongside Labour, against proposed plans to raise tuition fees by a further £250. Signaling that the DUP will not be subservient to Tory social policy.

Angela Rayner, Labour's Shadow Education Secretary, left the Government humiliated earlier this week after jeopardising the governments fragile relationship with the DUP. Rayner brought a motion before the House of Commons on Wednesday evening, in an attempt to halt planned increases in tuition fees. The non-binding motion gained support from Labour, Liberal Democrats, Green Party, SNP, and all DUP MP's proving that the confidence and supply deal between the Tories and DUP is vulnerable.

Tuition fees are set to rise from £9,000 to £9,250 this year, with the government arguing that the rise is necessary in order to match inflation. However, opposition members have highlighted the devastating impact of this increase. Labour reiterated their manifesto pledge to abolish tuition fees, with the Shadow Education Secretary saying 'the government has left graduates in England with the highest debt levels in the world' and stated that 'students will now graduate with an average debt of £50,000'.

Amid criticism concerning the fragility of the confidence and supply deal between the Tories and DUP, Ian Paisley, DUP MP for North Antrim, reiterated that his party 'reserve the right to vote on the basis of our own manifesto'. However, the Conservative Whip refused to oppose the DUP and all MP's were ordered to abstain from voting on the motion. Once again, this has prompted questions to arise concerning the impact of Conservative educational policy on young people, and the lucrative arrangement which has left Theresa May clinging to power.

Following her success, Angela Rayner triumphantly declared on Twitter that 'we [Labour] are the party that supports students'.

#JeremyCorbyn #LabourParty #2017GeneralElection #Conservativeparty