Rupert Murdoch has said that Blair should quit before the next election, and that he might support the Conservatives. He fired a shot over Gordon Brown's bow in an interview with The Australian, saying that holding a snap election would be cheating the public:
"...for no reason other than the dynamics of British politics we would like to see at least a year to 18 months a stand-off between Gordon Brown and David Cameron so we can decide which of those most coincides with our views. Those two are going to decide the next election and I think the British public would be cheated if they only got a month or two’s warning."
Equally significantly, when asked whether he could see himself supporting David Cameron he said "oh yes".
Deputy Editor
I would wait to see how the Sun comments on Cameron. Murdoch seeing himself supporting and actually doing it are two very much different things. I can see myself as Prime Minister...doesnt mean it'll happen.
Posted by: James Maskell | June 28, 2006 at 19:55
for no reason other than the dynamics of British politics we would like to see at least a year to 18 months a stand-off between Gordon Brown and David Cameron so we can decide which of those most coincides with our views.
Of course primarily he means his interests, he seems to be getting more cocky by the year, one of these days he's going to demand to be made Head of State so that he can chose the date of the election and who becomes Prime Minister directly himself.
Posted by: Yet Another Anon | June 28, 2006 at 20:16
At the last election it took a little while for The Sun to come out decisively in support of Labour, they stalled – although they obviously never planned to support the Tories…However, The Sun mostly reflects its readers and to an extent also influences its readers – in 1997, 2001 and 2005 The Sun could not have enabled the Conservatives to win. Hence The Sun decided to go for ‘New Labour’ and has had done that only because Labour is relatively centrist and The Sun has attempted to push Labour to the right. – Now there, is a credible Conservative Party in the eyes of the public that appears as if it could feasibly win The Sun will almost certainly revert to supporting the Conservatives. Murdoch himself wants Labour out and the Conservatives back in ASAP, as soon as that looks possible the Murdoch press will throw its support behind the Conservatives.
Posted by: Disillusioned | June 28, 2006 at 21:06
It's an odd logic that says that having an election to give Gordon Brown a mandate as Prime Minister is cheating the public.
Sounds to me like RM wants to decide between dour Brown who's had his wish of a spell in Number 10 and fresh Cameron with a big poll lead - rather than having a more decisive and controversial decision in the near future.
Posted by: Deputy Editor | June 28, 2006 at 22:03
agreed, there's no real logic, unless he means that we need to see the results of conservative policy reviews. But I don't really think that's where he's coming from at all
Posted by: Tory Solicitor | June 28, 2006 at 22:11
" for no reason other than the dynamics of British politics we would like to see at least a year to 18 months a stand-off between Gordon Brown and David Cameron so we can decide which of those most coincides with our views.
Of course primarily he means his interests, he seems to be getting more cocky by the year, one of these days he's going to demand to be made Head of State so that he can chose the date of the election and who becomes Prime Minister directly himself.
"
LOL yes. Today Mr Blair visited Mr Murdoch to seek a disolution of parliament.
I just SO wish Kinnock had won in 92, stick one up him, light bulb and all. :(
Posted by: comstock | June 28, 2006 at 22:41
Could all of this be irrelevant by 2010, anyway?
According to wikipedia, Rupert Murdoch was born in 1931, making him 75 now. By the next election, he'll be pushing 80.
It would be ironic if, after all the "who will Murdoch" support kerfuffle, Murdoch were to pop his clogs before the next election anyway.
Posted by: Andy Cooke | June 28, 2006 at 22:50
Oh No! He's the type that will rival the Queen Mum to get beyond the century!
Posted by: Annabel Herriott | June 28, 2006 at 22:59
and Brown may go for a snap election
Posted by: Tory Solicitor | June 28, 2006 at 23:02
I was about to shut down, and thought I would just check!!!
Well I wonder what Blair's headline knee-jerk reaction will be to this???
Things are moving to a momentum of their own at the moment, and when that happens its difficult to stop them, I wonder if Mr. Blair has become aware of this.
Posted by: Patsy Sergeant | June 28, 2006 at 23:18
I do see his point. A snap election would transparently be a way for GB to try to get a mandate on the back of a honeymoon period and before anyone knows how he plans to run the place.
Posted by: Julian Morrison | June 29, 2006 at 00:07
Could all of this be irrelevant by 2010, anyway?
According to wikipedia, Rupert Murdoch was born in 1931, making him 75 now. By the next election, he'll be pushing 80.
His son's been brought in to take charge of much of the running of things and it seems will be the heir to the Empire so it could be a case of The King is Dead, Long live the King in which case assuming the position doesn't change there could be the prospect of a Murdoch being courted every 4 or 5 years or so in the UK for decades to come - I think his son is still in his 30's.
Posted by: Yet Another Anon | June 29, 2006 at 02:40
Apparently Rupert Murdoch's mother (Elisabeth Murdock Senior) is still alive at the age of 97.
Lachlan Murdoch resigned (he is apparently 35) and was succeeded as Executive of The News Corporation by James Murdoch who is 34 and the heir apparent!
Posted by: Yet Another Anon | June 29, 2006 at 02:44
Mr Murdoch obviously did the media rounds while he was in Sydney - he did an interview with the Australian Financial Review (similar to the FT), which is running on page 1. Whereas his interview with the Australian - his own paper!! - features the Blair story in the bottom left hand corner of page 4. The Australian is broadsheet, the AFR is tabloid size.
Murdoch loves the Australian - he launched it at considerable cost and personal risk in the mid-1960s. But why did he choose the Australian, rather than the Times or the Sun, to say that he thought Blair should go? Particularly after he got in recent hot water suggesting (sort of) that John Howard should go too.
I wonder whether there is more to this than meets the eye.
Posted by: Alexander Drake | June 29, 2006 at 02:59
The point is well made that the Murdoch press REFLECTS rather than influences the views of it's readers.
It was not "The Sun wot won it" in 1992, it was Kinnock that lost it.
Posted by: Jon White | June 30, 2006 at 04:14
Well its good to know what the people with real power want to happen to the people who are merely in government. Next week... Murdoch invades Iran , "its the Sun wot won it!"
Posted by: David Banks | June 30, 2006 at 16:21