There are few things her party would like less than to see Jeremy Corbyn anywhere near Number 10, and this may be enough to throw the Conservatives a lifeline, for now. The famed £1bn dowry included significant sums for education, boosting Northern Ireland’s small but vibrant higher education sector. Interestingly, DUP representatives argued strongly to permit the four NI institutions to enter this year’s TEF – it was the decision of the institutions themselves not to enter.
We recently found out that her party will not support the government on student finance issues in Westminster, with DUP members voting alongside Labour on fee rises. If the government has any hope of raising fees further, then they’ll only be able to do it with Foster’s support. The fact that she’s withholding it right now, takes the planned-for rise to £9,500 virtually off the table, and may have precipitated a wider rethink on the fee cap, which thanks to parliamentary pressure now points in a downward direction.