Millionaire Con-Dem ministers cowered behind a massive police security cordon today as they forced through Parliament a huge increase in English student tuition fees.
However the government's majority was slashed to 21 following a revolt by around 30 Lib Dem and Tory MPs.
A rise in fees to as much as £9,000 per year was approved by 323 votes to 302, a result which jolted the government by drastically eroding the government's notional majority of around 80.
Parliament was under siege, with chanting students clashing with police as they were forcefully kettled in by police horses and a phalanx of officers in riot gear armed with shields and batons.
Among those voting against were former Lib Dem leaders Charles Kennedy and Menzies Campbell.
Lib Dem Mike Crockart announced his resignation as aide to Scottish Secretary Michael Moore.
Chief architects of the hated policy, Prime Minister David Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg, scurried away from the crucial Commons debate following a shambolic opening speech from Business Secretary Vince Cable.
Mr Cable struggled as he faced angry interruptions from the Labour benches. The colour drained from his cheeks, his hands shook and he did not dare take more than a few interventions from MPs.
Raucous laughter greeted his claim that increasing tuition fees would create "a more progressive system."
The noise reached a crescendo as he proclaimed: "I am proud to put forward this measure to the House."
Under the Con-Dem policy, most graduates would be paying off their debts for 30 years, he said. "The children of these graduates will be starting university before they have paid off their own debts."
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