Michael Meacher MP

The condemnation of Rupert Murdoch as “not a fit person” to run a big international company by the Commons DCMS select committee is stunning, but not of course the end of the matter.   The determining decision has to be taken by Ofcom, and if as expected the regulator confirms the committee’s view, the government should see it through.   But if they decline, for example on the grounds that the select committee’s judgement was a partisan one, with MPs splitting on party lines, what then?    First, it wasn’t partisan when the reasons given by the Tory MPs were either circular (Davies) or procrastinatory (wait for Ofcom, Mensch) or in denial (Coffey).   Second, the one MP outside the two main parties, the fiercely independent LibDem Adrian Sanders, didn’t abstain, procrastinate or close his eyes in denial – he backed the judgement on Murdoch as ‘not a fit person’.   Third, there’s another way through this. (more…)