The world ended yesterday well the News of the World anyway. The jewel of the Murdoch Empire has been shattered after the recent developments in the phone hacking scandal. Added to that the former Editor of the News of the World as well as the former spin doctor for David Cameron, Andy Coulson has been arrested by the police. This scandal has put News Corporation and its master Rupert Murdoch at the top of British news agenda (well with the exception of the Sun and the Times). But there’s another angle to this story to consider and that’s the relationship between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party and Rupert Murdoch.
A few weeks ago both David Cameron and Ed Miliband were at one of Rupert Murdoch’s parties, both were trying to win favour with News International. This was just the lasting wooing of the media tycoon by Labour and the Conservatives. In 1992 the Tory PM, John Major had the support of the Sun when he narrowly won the General Election, the myth was born that Murdoch had a hand in determining elections. This myth continued in both the Tories as well as in Labour Party. Tony Blair and New Labour were dependent on Murdoch’s support as was Gordon Brown. Within days of the formation of the Coalition Government, Rupert Murdoch walking into Downing Street to meet his latest Prime Ministerial admirer, David Cameron. For too many years Britain’s two largest parties have been under the influence of Rupert Murdoch and it must end. The Liberal Democrats must be the first party of government in over three decades not to be under Murdoch’s spell. We as Liberal Democrats must once more take the fight to Rupert Murdoch.
Nick Clegg has called for a judge led inquiry into the actions of News International. The Deputy Prime Minister is continuing the Liberal tradition of not siding with elites and vested interests. Just remember when Vince Cable was caught by undercover journalists declaring war on Rupert Murdoch. The Lib Dems are only one of the main parties to have never allied themselves with News International.
David Cameron has now agreed to hold a judge led public inquiry. Another person to also call for a judge led inquiry as well as for Rebekah Brooks’ resignation was the Labour Leader, Ed Miliband. Ed Miliband has been praised across the media for daring to distance himself from his would-be master, Rupert Murdoch. However, I for one view Miliband’s decision as being hypocritically opportunistic. If the Labour Party was serious about distancing itself from Murdoch it could have done so when the phone hacking scandal began to emerge in 2006. Even Ed Miliband harboured hopes of gaining Murdoch’s affections or else he would not have attended the media tycoon’s parties. If Labour had won the General Election and maintained the Sun’s support would they now be opposing Murdoch? After 13 years of worshipping Murdoch; I doubt it! So how is Ed Miliband or David Cameron in a fit state to criticise News International after decades of their respective parties hanging on the word of Rupert Murdoch. We need Nick Clegg to take the political lead on this issue.
Frankly neither the Conservatives nor Labour can be trusted to bring News International to account over the recent scandals given their previous love for Murdoch. Nick Clegg was absolutely right to call for a judge led inquiry and it is now up to the Liberal Democrats to hold Murdoch and News International to account. Also and almost as important we must not let Labour and the Conservatives paper over the past, they were allied to and dependent on Rupert Murdoch for decades; and we shouldn’t let them or the British people forget it. It is good to know that for all that time there has always been one party that hasn’t been obedient towards the likes of Rupert Murdoch; the Liberal Democrats!
Good post. Several of my colleagues used to teach politics at Lancaster.
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