A most unusual event has taken place today: the deeply subversive Guardian has published a letter it has received from Rupert Murdoch. Don Rupioni has taken the step of writing to the folks at Kings Place over claims that he had said, in explanation of why he hates the EU so much - something he does not deny - “When I go into Downing Street, they do what I say; when I go to Brussels, they take no notice”.
What he doesn't think of the EU, honestly
Rupe is clearly affronted at the thought that he should lower himself to make such an utterance, telling “There is much fake news published about me, but let me make clear that I have never uttered those words”. He adds “I have made it a principle all my life never to ask for anything from any prime minister”. These appear to be unequivocal statements, but the amount of wriggle room they leave open is more than enough.
Let’s take his well-known antipathy to the EU, which is less than inclined to tilt its rules on level playing fields in his direction. It has been, ever since he took over the title in 1969, an oft repeated and never convincingly denied adage that if one wants to know what Rupert Murdoch thinks, one need look no further than the latest Sun editorial. He does not need to “utter those words” - the rank Europhobia in so many Sun editorial speaks for him.
It gets worse: in the run-up to June’s referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, the Sun’s campaigning was so blatant that not even the inmates of the Baby Shard bunker could maintain the pretence that this was a mere newspaper. The Sun registered with the Electoral Commission, specifically over the paper’s “BeLEAVE In Britain” message, which was distributed as a pullout poster at a declared cost of £96,000.
The Sun’s rabid anti-EU stance has been well-known for years, as has its shamelessness in telling whatever lies it deems necessary to bolster that stance, the most recent being a supposed “Exclusive” from repellant Sunday political editor David Wooding, who claimed “BRITAIN has struck new trade links with South Korea which will lead to a post-Brexit jobs and exports bonanza”. No links, deal or anything similar has been struck.
Moreover, the EU already has a free trade deal with South Korea. The Sun has been reduced to lying in order to back up its stance. And, as for Rupe claiming he’s never asked for anything from any Prime Minister, well, there are plenty of ways round that one. Disapproval may be indicated without his even lifting a finger, as “Shagger” Major discovered after Sterling dropped out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992.
Murdoch left the hatchet jobs to the disgraced Kelvin McFilth, as he did with the abusive tone directed at a succession of Labour leaders. And he need not ask, if it has already been made plain to those PMs what he wants. In any case, a busy bloke like Rupe always has a chap to do that sort of thing for him. Or Rebekah Brooks to schmooze the likes of Tone and Young Dave. Or he can always get one of his men appointed as a SpAd.
So when Don Rupioni pleads innocence with the Guardian, the reply has to be that he should desist from playing the Raw Prawn with those who sussed him many years ago.
Rupert Murdoch is no political ingenue. Swallowing a Crook excuse like that could have a fellow Yodelling on the Wall-To-Wall in no time, and NO TRUBBS.
" And he need not ask, if it has already been made plain to those PMs what he wants"
ReplyDeleteI'm reminded of Marina Hyde's piece in the Guardian in 2010 when the bid for the remainder of Sky was first made (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/sep/24/rupert-murdoch-bskyb-fox-news), particularly this paragraph:
"Within days of the coalition government being formed, it emerged that one of the prime minister's first meetings was with the News Corp overlord himself. According to one account, Murdoch was "ushered up the back stairs of Downing Street" – which sounds like both a statement of fact and a euphemism for what Rupert has been doing to successive governments for decades."
*** A Brief Encounter in New York ***
ReplyDelete(A tragedy committed in several acts)
"Hello Theresa"
"Oh, Hello Mr Murdoch"
"Have you met my staff?"
"Yes"
"Good. They will let you know of "my project"
"Oh yes? Are you asking me for a favour?"
"No, but they will be doing one for you provided ..... Or.........."
(the voice drifts off lazily in a UKOZ way)
"I get your drift Mr Murdoch"
"Goodbye Mr Murdoch"
"Bye"
.