Blair 20 votes from safety | Guardian

[Ediacara]

Blair 20 votes from safety

Prime minister scrambles to avoid defeat at 7pm tonight

Patrick Wintour, Lucy Ward and Nicholas Watt
Tuesday January 27, 2004
The Guardian

An 11th hour effort by the deputy prime minister, John Prescott, to broker a deal on tuition fees broke down last night with the government angrily telling the rebels they now had to chose between Tony Blair or Michael Howard in tonight's key vote.

Mr Prescott had been struggling to find a form of words to buy off the rebels. But opponents held out for an undertaking that variable fees will be shelved for at least three years, something Mr Blair refused to concede.

Mr Prescott attempted to sway the rebels by brokering a meeting between Mr Blair and the two ringleaders, George Mudie and Nick Brown, in the prime minister's office yesterday afternoon. The discussion lasted 45 minutes but failed to secure a breakthrough.

More at the Guardian

[Ediacara]

1. ok, I know I posted this....

But can someone post a synopsis of what's going down?

Is this a no-confidence vote coming up? Or is this just a potential defeat on tuition costs? Or both?

[Jack Rabbit]

2. DU Q&A: Jack Rabbit asks TiB

Please click here.

A related thread on which this piece is also posted.

[Ediacara]

4. THANKS

I was a little confused about why so much fuss about a tuition vote, but now I understand it better.

THANKS

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. Three-line whip. It's a must-win.