Party propping up May’s minority government will break with Tories for first time since election dealThe Democratic Unionist party is planning to vote with Labour in favour of raising NHS pay and against higher tuition fees during opposition day debates, the Guardian has learned. The party’s MPs will back Labour on a “fair pay rise” for NHS workers and oppose the government’s increase in tuition fees – the first time the DUP will have broken with the Conservatives since their deal after the election. A DUP source confirmed that the party’s position was to vote on Wednesday for two opposition day motions tabled by Labour. Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP MP for Lagan Valley, denied that supporting Labour on NHS wages and opposing tuition fees put the deal that props up May’s government at peril. MPs told the House of Commons about examples of public sector workers such as ambulance technicians and nurses struggling to get by, being forced into debt or to take second jobs.

Source: The Guardian September 13, 2017 13:09 UTC