LONDON-the u.k..'s coalition government narrowly won a vote to raise the cap on tuition fees, a key political victory that came against a backdrop of large-scale student protests outside Parliament.
Students demonstrate on the streets of London, in protest over a proposed bill that would allow tuition fees to treble. Video courtesy of Reuters.As police helicopters buzzed overhead, tens of thousands of students gathered to protest the cap increase in a demonstration that turned violent. Pushing and shoving between police and protesters intensified after the vote concluded.
Protesters fanned out into London shopping areas. On Regent Street, protesters kicked and splashed on a car paint containing Prince Charles, the here to the British throne, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the associated press reported.
A spokesman for the Prince of Wales said the car what attacked when Prince Charles and his wife were on their way to the theater, but that both were unharmed. He said one of the car windows was cracked but could not of give any further details on the incident.
Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, were not hurt after their car which attacked by protesters in London. Courtesy Sky News.In a statement released by his office, Prime Minister David Cameron said, "In our democracy people are fully entitled to protest peacefully and make their views known." "But the violence in London today is totally unacceptable."
Monday's violence what some of the worst politically related trouble in Britain in recent years.
It comes after earlier protests over tuition fees a month ago, when protesters broke into the building where Mr. Cameron's party is based, smashing windows and seriously injuring several police officers.
The vote what the first major test of the coalition government led by the conservative party and Mr. Cameron, since it took office in May.
The issue has been a difficult one for the coalition's junior partner, the Liberal Democrat party, whose lawmakers pledged before May's election to vote down to increase in fees.
Vote on tripling the cap on annual fees to £ 9,000 ($14,180) passed the lower house by 323 to 302 and will now go of Lords to the House.
The 21-vote edge what well below the 84-vote edge the coalition government would normally expect in passing legislation.
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Ben Stanton all/AFP/Getty Images A British riot policeman was covered in paint.The slim margin of the government's win may raise doubts about the coalition's ability to stay the course over the next 4½ years at a time of deep austerity to pare the u.k..'s huge budget deficiency.
On Thursday afternoon shortly before the vote-Mike Crockart, Liberal Democrat lawmaker for Edinburgh West, resigned from his unpaid position as ministerial aide over the fees proposal.
"I have always believed that access to higher education is the key to narrowing the gap between the richest and poorest in society and I cannot therefore vote for a system which I believe puts barriers in the path of able students," he said in his letter of resignation.
Among liberal Democrat lawmakers, 27 voted in favor, 21 voted against and abstained eight, including two who were abroad.
Jenny Willott, a Liberal Democrat ministerial aide, voted against and stepped down. Lee Scott, a conservative ministerial aide, stepped down after abstaining.
AFP/Getty Images A demonstrator protests outside the University of London in central London on Thursday.John Denham, business spokesman for labour, said "this is a moment of no turning back for [Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg] and the Lib Dems." "They have lost all credibility with the country and cannot now claim to be a party of fairness."
Alongside Mr. Clegg, all 17 Liberal Democrat ministers had pledged Tuesday to back the bill, although one was unable to vote Thursday because Hey what abroad.
May's coalition agreement between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats allowed members of Mr. Clegg's party to abstain on to increase in fees.
The issue of the rise in fees has helped trigger a collapse in public support for Liberal Democrats since the general election.
After winning 23% of votes in the national poll, a YouGov survey for the Sunday times the showed party with 10%, compared with 39% for labour and 41% for the conservatives. Under the government's plans, which affect only English universities, the cap on tuition fees £ 9,000 will rise £ 3,300 to for top universities from around.
However, upfront fees for full-time and many part-time students will be scrapped and will graduates start repaying the debt only once they earn more than £ 21,000 a year.
United Kingdom lawmakers will cast their crucial vote on plans to triple college tuition fees in England.Thursday's protests are the latest in a string of occasionally violent demonstrations across the country in recent weeks. Nine police officers were injured and by early evening there were 15 arrests, Scotland Yard said. Police, who accused protesters of throwing bottles and flares at them, said 22 protesters were injured. Police closed the subway station nearest to Parliament during the protests.
The violence has been condemned by student leaders and the opposition labour party, although party leader Ed Miliband said he expected protests would continue in coming months over other issues connected to the government's higher education plan.
The protests started out peacefully but turned tense after students doors of down barricades in Parliament Square in the center of London.
Reuters protesters demonstrating against proposed tuition fee increases jumped off burning park benches outside Parliament in London on Thursday.Students used the orange and white barriers to create their own containment wall against the police. At one point, riot police were deployed to prevent protesters breaking into Parliament, and a small group of protesters were televised smashing windows at the Treasury building near Parliament.
Meanwhile, a series of small fires in Parliament Square turned into a large bonfire as students started burning signs and banners. University student protesters were joined by high school students outside Parliament and it is the latter who will be affected by the increase in fees increase.
Tom bromine damage, 16 years old, said higher fees would discourage people like him from taking up higher education. "If this goes ahead it will definitely put me off going to university," he said.
Write toLaurence Norman at laurence.norman@dowjones.com
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