The Conservative government in Britain led by Theresa May faces deep divisions over Brexit, so deep indeed that its very survival even in the short term cannot be assured. For much of the past two years, its ability to remain upright has owed much to its ability to cast the opposition, a Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour Party, as a serious threat.
In practice this means that when Brexit pressures get really acute, and dissident MPs risk the government's tiny working majority in the House of Commons, a variant of “project fear” begins to operate: that is, conjuring the nightmare of another general election that will propel the appalling far-left Corbyn into Downing Street.
But Conservative Party strategists and media supporters also know that this approach is inherently unreliable. Disunity among May’s MPs – extending even to mutual loathing – is increasing and will not go away. The publication of the government's Brexit plan, subsequent resignations, and parliamentary turmoil have been followed by four opinion polls showing Labour ahead of the Tories by several points, a reversal of previous trends.
