The Lords rebellion on tuition fees that never was

By Jonathan Isaby

Last week saw the crunch votes in the Commons on increasing the upper tuition fees limit to £9,000 and raising the cap on basic tuition fees to £6,000 pass by a majority of just 21 votes. 6 Tory MPs and 21 Liberal Democrats voted against the measures.

Yesterday the House of Lords had to approve the plans and rumours in some parts of the media of a potential government defeat proved completely foundless.

Labour tabled wrecking amendments to two motions which were defeated by 283 votes to 215 (majority 68) and 273 to 200 (majority 73) respectively.

Not a single Conservative peer voted against the Government and only five Lib Dems did so: Baonress Tonge and Lords Cotter, Fearn, Smith of Clifton and Dykes (the latter of whom only voted in one of the two divisions).

The main motions were then passed without a vote.