Is this the beginning of the end of Rupert Murdoch's media empire?

There was both a scandal of corporate funding for the Labour Party, and a "sleaze scandal" as it was revealed that Labour MPs were using public money to buy nice things for themselves or to rennovate or upgrade their property. It cost them the last election, which is why Cameron is the PM now.

Contributions:

Funding Scandal Engulfs Labour

MPs expenses:

This page is an omnibus of expenses scandal stories

These were the one-two knock-0ut punches which sank Labour in the last election.

The expenses scandal of certain MPs was cross party. It affected the Tories just as much as Labour. Labour were the incumbants, so were hit the most. That and the Sky News 'bigotgate' recording as well. Labour lost, but the Tories didn't win.

Yes indeed, but these scandals seem to me to be to have been dramatically dwarfed in importance, compared to the huge implications of what both Labour & the Tories have caught themselves up in, in their dealings with Murdoch & co.

Fine, Miss Olga, far be it from me to step on your obsession. However, you will note that i was asking Izzy for his take on how this will affect party politics in the UK, and in that context, Labour probably still stinks. Believe it or not, it is a legitimate question.

Thanks, Boss, that was the kind of information i was looking for. Do you think Cameron's government could fall?

You're right the expenses scandal is last year's news and, at the time the press made a really big thing about it. Most of the stuff was not illegal though, only a few ex-MPs have actually been prosecuted. Most was a bit extravagant, people claiming for food and using tax payers money to pay mortgages on second homes. There has been a root and branch change to the expenses system, so it shouldn't happen again.

The Tories like to stress that both parties were guilty of getting too close to Murdoch, but at the last election Brown lost support because he refused to abolish OfCom and weaken the BBC. Murdoch and the Tories have always been closer ideologically, and all of this started because of Murdoch's cosy relationship with the Thatch.

Well I can't really understand why he would have lost support for such a reason, but good for Gordon Brown for supporting the BBC!
Independent media is extremely important!

We have witnessed so many conservatives' attacks on the ABC in Oz.
Which have had to be beaten down again & again & again ...
Similar types of criticism as the BBC receives in the UK, I imagine. (though there is no advertising (yet!!) on the Oz ABC. It really shocks me that there is advertising on the BBC.)
We just have to keep fighting for media integrity, endlessly, by the sounds of it.

There doesn't have to be an election until 2015. The Tories are in coalition with the Lib-Dems, who have remained rather unsullied by the whole affair. This is mostly because they are the third party, with no chance of power in their own right, as opposed to any real moral superiority, no matter how they try to spin it.

Most Liberal voters ideologically tend to be closer to Labour than the Tories. When Clegg went into coalition with Cameron, a lot of those same voters felt a profound sense of betrayal that the Liberals were supporting policies far more right wing than Thatch. At the last round of local council elections the Liberal vote collapsed. Also, the one Liberal policy (a referendum on changing the voting system) was trashed in the vote. Many supporters of change didn't want to reward Clegg for his 'betrayal,' and voted No to change.

So the situation is this, Clegg could break up the coalition, but he won't because the Liberals will lose a load of MPs. Cameron is basically the only Tory in the running for leadership, there are no obvious successors, unlike Brown/Blair. If there were to be an election now Labour would be the main beneficiaries (perhaps not enough to win overall control, but they would probably be the biggest party.)

So to answer your question is, that unless there is enough evidence to put Cameron on trial for serious criminal conduct, which is highly unlikely, he will stay in power. And even if that were the case the Tories would probably elect another leader and maintain the coalition until 2015. The coalition is gambling that by 2015 their policies will have improved the economy sufficiently to remain in power. Now it's all pain and no gain.

So the answer is No. Cameron will be prime minister going into the next election in 2015.

It was a somewhat obscure riff on Hawkeye's use of the phrase British polical elite - he often mentions 'the collective'.

If things got a lot worse for Cameron, would the Lib Ds jerk their support and vote no confidence? If they did, could Labour form a minority government with Lib D support? From what you said, it sounds as though liberal voters would approve of a coalition such as that.

I think my "obsession" might be in your head, Setanta.
Believe it or not, both parties probably could be accused of "stinking" as a result of their kowtowing to Murdoch.
I am not questioning whether it's "legitimate" for you to ask your question or not.
I'm objecting to your intolerant comment to my response.

...along with MrCleggCouldIBeAnyMoreQuietThanIAmRightNow


Yep, slippery little suckers that they be!

Yes, where is Clegg in all this?

Has he had anything at all to say on NOTW, Murdoch, etc?

Thank you, I hate not knowing something.

A Labour/LibDem coalition would not have a majority in the House of Commons. It would have to be a Rainbow Coalition, including Scottish and Welsh Nationalists, Ulster MPs, some of whom are more ideologically disposed to the Tories, and in all likelihood, the Green MP.

Nick Clegg is extremely unpopular with the Labour Party in general, particularly the Rank and File. So any deal would have to involve Nick Clegg being kicked out. A Rainbow coalition with such divergent interests would be a poison chalice as well. If the Lib-Dems were to break the coalition, Labour MPs would demand a vote of no confidence in the government and a general election.

What I thought was really telling was that during PMs questions, Nick Clegg was looking all over the chamber, everywhere except at Cameron.

That's what i was getting at. Whether or not if there were a no confidence vote, and the Libs bolted, Labour could hope to form a government after an election. So you don't think Labour could profit electorily from a dissolution and an election?

Labour could, but the Lib Dems wouldn't. They'll stick with this coalition, but try to score as many points as possible.

Thanks, Boss. Knowing how the system works and who the players are still doesn't tell me the dynamics. I appreciate your patience with my questions.

OK, must one more question. Do you think the Lib Ds hope to profit by this, and do you think that expectation is realistic?