THE strength of any democracy lies with the opposition.

That’s what makes these troubling times.

The circus around the Labour leadership re-election has done nothing for the party’s credibility. It’s slaughtered it really.

I remember being in the news room when Labour’s shadow cabinet were resigning in droves. People were saying Corbyn was next...I was saying no way, he was staying put to the bitter end.

Months later he’s still there. Seemingly determined to recreate the Labour Party at its very core. He is talking about olive branches and unity among MPs, but who’s really buying that?

The facts are the heavy hangover of New Labour still runs deep in the party and must change. Wholesale. And Jeremy’s here to oversee the ride. All the way if it's down to him.

The comments from within the party in the aftermath of Saturday’s leadership victory are concerning. Lots of resentment. Lots of smiles through gritted teeth. And lots of insincerity.

How can a party so internally at odds possibly unite nationally? And it would be a sham if it did.

So who suffers in the meantime? Well, all of us actually.

Because with such big challenges on the horizon, none more so than Brexit, now is a time our country needs a strong opposition to challenge the Government. Yet, sadly, a strong opposition is nowhere to be seen.