Trouble in paradise? After the DUP voted with the government last night to ensure they won a crucial vote that gives the Tories a majority on key committees which scrutinise legislation, today the Conservatives got a taste of what it’s like to really be in the minority.
In the opposition day debate on NHS pay, the DUP boldly backed a Labour motion demanding the Government give public health workers a ‘fair pay rise’. The Tories, aware that they didn’t have the numbers to win this vote, abstained. While it’s slightly embarrassing for the government to lose a vote, the motion was not binding – and it did not breach the £1bn Tory-DUP deal.
However, it does serve as a helpful reminder (when the promised £1bn is yet to be released) to the government that they need to keep the unionists on side. A cynical Mr S might also be so bold as to point out that today’s antics might help the Unionists’ case for holding onto their ‘short’ money.
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