Murdoch will win? Polly Toynbee says no



Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

Here’s Polly Toynbee in her Guardian column Fri 8th. Labour, she says, sank humiliatingly low in its dealings with Murdoch, a monopolist who has made his fortune out of intimidating governments, avoiding taxes and trouncing regulators in exchange for political support. Every plea to Labour leaders, to Blair and Brown particularly, to regain their dignity and find the nerve to stand up to Murdoch, fell on deaf ears.

Even Labour leader Ed Milliband wavered at first; but Toynbee says he has now crossed the Rubicon, for him there is no going back. Emperor Murdoch has lost his clothes - and many commentators seem to agree. 

Meanwhile what of Cameron - he hit rock bottom, hiring Coulson to appease Murdoch, and eager to change the law on press and broadcasting diversity for him. But even Cameron is now creeping back up, says Toynbee.

Other commentators have echoed this view, Steve Richards in The Independent for example: “The tyrants lose their swagger and those that lived in fear dare to speak out”. 
 
Well one should beware of contradicting Polly Toynbee, but we’ll see.  We’ll see also if the News of the World has really finished.  Massive protests may be necessary.

I’ll say no more on this subject. Look back at this in 6 months time.