British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair averted his first major parliamentary defeat tonight, by the slim margin of five votes.
Mr Blair won a crucial vote on university fees by a tiny majority of 316 to 311 after last-minute arm-twisting by Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown delivered the support of rebels who had resisted intensive lobbying by Mr Blair.
Mr Brown's intervention laid bare once again the power struggle between the prime minister and his would-be successor.
"This is Gordon riding in on a white charger," said one Labour MP.
The rivalry between the top two in British politics is legendary but talk of Mr Brown's ambition has reached fever pitch as Mr Blair's popularity has faded in the wake of the Iraq war, which divided Labour and alienated many voters.
Mr Brown had kept a low-profile as the higher education debate raged but he came out with all guns blazing yesterday, backing the policy in a high-profile speech and lobbying rebels.
Just hours before this evening vote, leading rebel MP Mr Nick Brown, a close friend and ally of the chancellor, said he would relent and back the government, bringing over a number of MPs.
"It's self-evident that Blair only survived because Gordon Brown's lieutenants rescued him," said Conservative MP Mr David Davis.