Papers look to a political 'wobble'

Many of the papers cannot resist the temptation to draw a parallel between the apparent wobble on the new Millennium Bridge across the Thames and Labour's recent political tremors.

Pictures of the queues forming to cross the new landmark as engineers wrestle with its instability, feature in several papers.

Drawing a political comparison, the Daily Telegraph refers to the weekend poll which showed the Conservatives just three points behind Labour.

Not since 1992, it recalls, has there been such a "seismic shift" in the polls. Whether Mr Blair can reverse the damage and how the change can happen, it says, are the key political questions.

The Daily Mail also plays on the government's wobbly image, as it is confronted with disillusionment among voters, a drastically-cut lead in the polls and recriminations over THAT speech to the Women's Institute.

"A walk on the wobbly side" is how The Times sees it.

E-mail interception

As Millbank wrestles with the task of winning voters, a new battleground is coming into view: the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill.

This would give law enforcement agencies powers to intercept e-mails and decode encrypted data.

The Financial Times says business leaders are preparing to back moves in the House of Lords to fight the legislation.

In its editorial the Times says the measures are flawed and intrusive, threatening to infringe on civil liberties and hit businesses with needless costs and uncertainties.

The Guardian concludes that the bill has only got this far because no-one believes it means what it says - that MI5 will be able to monitor every e-mail, and every chat-room and website visit.

The paper calls on the Lords to throw the bill back to the Commons for a complete re-write.

Sporting chances

On a more optimistic note, England's opening match in Euro 2000 is a topic running through the papers.

David Beckham tells the Sun England can win the tournament.

Among all the analysis of how Portugal can and must be beaten on Monday evening, The Express calls on the England players to show the talent befitting their salaries and status.

But away from the sports pages, the Guardian says football thugs could soon face a new crackdown, since existing restrictions have not proved tough enough.

It says senior officers at the National Criminal Intelligence Service want all convicted hooligans to be forced to surrender their passports during tournaments involving England or English clubs.

Quest for peace

Much space is devoted to the death of President Assad of Syria - and just where it leaves his people and their neighbours.

The FT says diplomats in Damascus believe events are unfolding exactly as Assad would have wanted, with his son, Bashar, preparing to assume power.

Robert Fisk, writing in The Independent, calls it an "orderly succession".

In its editorial, the FT concedes there will be uncertainty in the Middle East peace process in the short term - but it hopes the new generation of leaders in the region will give more grounds for optimism.

Victory for road rage

The Times reports how one man's road rage thwarted a multi-million pound robbery.

It describes how a motorist from south London became angry when a lorry was left blocking him in, and retaliated by removing the ignition keys and going back to his home.

The lorry was being used in a raid on a security van and had an iron girder on the back which the robbers planned to use to break into the van.

When they could not start the lorry, they abandoned the raid.