| Mr Blair had to use
all his powers of persuasion to win
this vote, and only just succeeded. He staked
his authority on the plans to change the way higher education
is funded.
After weeks of cajoling and concessions
aimed at critics within his own party, his majority
of a hundred and sixty one was slashed
to just five. Throughout the day before the vote, senior ministers
had rallied behind the prime minister,
in particular, the chief finance minister Gordon Brown, who it's
thought persuaded some of the main rebels to back Mr Blair at
the last moment.
Questions are being asked about the prime minister's tactics
in bringing forward such an unpopular
measure, and it remains to be seen
what political debts he may have
to repay at a later date.
This victory though, however slim,
will be a relief to the prime minister. He has already received
an advance copy of the Hutton report into the death of the weapons
scientist David Kelly.
|
|
|
|
powers of persuasion: an ability
to make people do something by giving them a good reason for doing
so
staked his authority: risked the
power he has to control people
cajoling and concessions: forcing
people to do something they don't want and agreeing to do things
that you don't want
majority: the number of Members
of Parliament the government has over all opposition parties
slashed: considerably reduced
rallied behind: begun to support
bringing forward: proposing so
that it can be discussed
measure: an action taken to achieve
a particular result
political debts: favours he has
been granted and will have to return or pay back
slim: narrow, small
|
