Ed Miliband’s best week as leader yet has reached a new peak with News Corporation withdrawing their bid for to take full control of BSkyB, writes Tom Rouse.
Ed Miliband’s best week as leader yet has reached a new peak with News Corporation withdrawing their bid for to take full control of BSkyB.
Coming hot on the heels of weeks of bad press and leaks, the phone hacking revaluations could not have come at a better time for the Labour leader. The steady stream of scandals has given him the chance to rehabilitate both his public image and his standing within the party. Even more significantly, this latest triumph is primarily his.
He has boldly led from the front, dragging not only his party, but also the government in his wake. This is in spite of suggestions he was warned by senior figures from within the party not to pursue the link between phone hacking and the BSkyB deal so energetically and publicly.
The decision to do so was a courageous one and he deserves the credit that comes his way. Though Tom Watson has been a fearless crusader against excesses in the press and deserves huge praise for this, he is a less recognisable figure and has not had the same influence over the public debate. In the coming days, it will be interesting to see if his next crusade, against the Lobby system, draws the same level of public and political support.
The test now is whether he can maintain his upward momentum and continue to be perceived by the public as the politician with the best grip on this crisis. The debate in the Commons tonight serves as an opportunity to stake out the high ground and ensure Labour continues to set the agenda.
It is clear that large sections of the Tory backbenches still don’t grasp the scale of public outrage or its significance, as demonstrated by Jacob Rees-Mogg in an interview with Sky, where he described the public sentiment towards phone hacking as:
“Extraordinary hysteria and frenzy.”
Politically, the tactic of linking David Cameron to Andy Coulson and using that to draw links to News International at every possible opportunity is a good one, but is in danger of becoming over-used. He has already forced Mr Cameron into a corner over the issue and drawn an admission of regret; it’s not sure what else the Labour leader hopes to gain from this.
It is not an issue the public cares as significantly about and with the summer recess fast approaching there are other, more important issues, to be focused on.
Although this week has been an undisputed triumph, it is important to remember News Corporation still own 39% of BSkyB and equally significantly this move ends any chance of Sky News being spun off. Similarly, unless there is hard evidence to implicate other NI papers in the scandal, Murdoch is likely to retain ownership of them and will doubtless be nursing a grudge, particularly if he is finally forced to abandon Rebekah Brooks to the wolves.
Ed has won this battle and has public opinion firmly behind him, but the war is far from over.
34 Responses to “Murdoch’s BSkyB capitulation is far from the end – the fight must go on”
Anon E Mouse
Big up to Ed Miliband in fairness.
Now will every single person who is against Murdoch and his shares in BSkyB bid PLEASE be consistent and cancel their Sky TV subscriptions IMMEDIATELY, advise everyone else to do the same and DO NOT WATCH SKY.
If as you say “the fight must go on” that includes everybody realising that the NOTW was beaten by public pressure and so can Sky TV by masses of people exercising their rights.
But it just won’t happen and this whole item is just wishful thinking.
Ask this fine blog’s very own Shamik Das to stop his money funding the Murdoch empire. There is more of a chance of hell freezing over than that happening. He loves Murdoch’s invention Sky TV.
Oh the excuses will start… “I love movies”… “MTV”… “I can’t miss the cricket or footy”… blah blah blah.
There is no chance of the Murdoch empire crumbling in this country because the people who criticise him simply do not have the courage of their convictions and every month they will continue to pay into the Murdoch coffers and this activity will die down and everything will go back the way it was…
Noxi
Murdoch's BSkyB capitulation is far from the end – the fight must go on: http://bit.ly/oUAxBt by @TRouse11 #phonehacking RT @leftfootfwd
Leon Wolfson
Anon – And once more you ask people to cut their nose off to spite their face.
Ending your subscription at the end of current cycle is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. “Cancelling” at once, when you don’t get any money back, and hence waste money isn’t.
Unless you’re a Tory moneybags…
Ed's Talking Balls
Spot on Robert.
Gordon Brown spoke as if he wasn’t Prime Minister. Sadly, the rest of us remember all too well that he was, as well as the unprecedented influence he had as Chancellor. He had the power to sell off gold at the bottom of the market, raid private sector pensions and scrap the 10p tax, among other disasters, but apparently couldn’t launch an inquiry into practices which so enraged him?
Yep, untrustworthy and utterly deluded as ever. His appearances on TV can only be a good thing in that they remind people just why they didn’t vote Labout in 2010.
Anon E Mouse
Leon Wolfson – Rubbish. After the first 12 months, or however long it takes to pay off the box (like a cell phone contract) you can cancel at any time.
You’re making excuses like the left always do.
Why aren’t you angry that your “comrades” who can and DO pay money each month to Rupert Murdoch (like Shamik Das) aren’t showing any solidarity and stopping their subscription. Good for you for not having one fella….
I knew people would start the excuses but what they will not do is stop their subscriptions to Sky because it’s weak hypocrisy from Labour activists as usual…..
Tory moneybags? WTF!! :-}