Parliamentary Opposition
Everybody in Britain, right now recognises that there is no effective opposition to the New Labour government. "Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition" (what a typically pompous term!) whose role is currently filled by the Conservative or Tory Party is a joke. It is quite clear that the only electable position is to the left of the New Labour, ( and let's face it that could still mean right-wing) but all theTories can do is move yet further to the right and self-destruct by internal feud.
It is also quite clear that with average membership age at 67, no modernisation move is going to get passed by this reactionary group to make it electable. So it would appear they are in melt-down.
It has been said that any opposition there is, is being provided by the Labour back-benchers, and the media. The former have some strength at present, with their constituents seething about Blair's arrogance in ignoring the electorate's opposition to supporting Bush's adventures in the Middle East; but they are also constrained by the Party's whips and the immense machine that is Blair's Downing Street, which the PM has largely turned into a White House in London, a flagrant contradiction to Britain so-called parliamentary democracy. That leaves the media.
The newspapers in Britain are overwhelmingly controlled by foreigners. The megalomaniac, Rupert Murdoch, an Australian turned US citizen and "Sir" Conrad Black, a Canadian. Both are extreme right-wingers and have agendas that are not those of ordinary British residents. Blair has made a Faustian pact with Murdoch to moderate democratic reforms to Britain's medieval "constitution" and links to Europe in return for support from the odious Sun and the overblown and rubbishy Times .
Much more here on the British media soon.