May prevails in major parliamentary test

British Prime Minister Theresa May has won backing for her policy program with a slender parliamentary majority in the first test of her authority after an election setback and growing pressure on her Brexit and austerity agenda.

May cut short a visit to Berlin and her defence minister, Michael Fallon, left Brussels to dash back to Britain for the vote, underlining her precarious position after she lost her Conservative Party's parliamentary majority in an election on June 8 that she did not need to call.

On Wednesday, she saw off an attempt by the opposition Labour Party to defeat her in a vote on public sector pay, thanks partly to the support of a small Northern Irish party which she secured under a deal to help her pass legislation.

It was that backing that helped her squeeze enough votes to pass her policy programme, set out to parliament by Queen Elizabeth last week, winning with 323 votes to 309.

The vote was not without difficulties. Opposition parties proposed amendments which tested the discipline of May's supporters and the government had to make a concession on abortion rights, making funds available in England for women arriving from Northern Ireland for abortions, to avoid defeat.

Other amendments challenged her stance on Britain's departure from the European Union, demanding that the country stay in the bloc's single market, and on austerity, criticising her for not investing in the economy.

Both were rejected but the vote shows how little room to manoeuvre May has as Conservative lawmakers jockey for position to replace her.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Conservative program was "in tatters" and should bend to the will of voters who wanted an end to public sector cuts, which some have blamed for a fire that killed at least 80 in west London and for straining a police service battling militant attacks.