It is hard to believe the comings and goings connected with the phone hacking scandal that threatens to sink News International and even the parent company News Corporation. Billions have been knocked off the value of Rupert Murdoch's empire and the politicians here in the UK have lined up to urge him to drop his bid for total control of BSkyB.
With criminal charges against several of his subordinates possible, what are the chances of his bid for BSkyB succeeding? I would have thought that a total takeover is now dead in the water. Mr Murdoch's influence in the politics of the UK must also be on the wane as party leaders, including Mr Cameron, distance themselves from his circle, one they were all happy to be part of just a few short weeks ago.
David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg met for under an hour yesterday to discuss Murdoch's bid, with the Prime Minister firmly joining Labour (and the Liberal Democrats) in putting pressure on the media mogul to re-consider his takeover attempt of BSkyB. The debate in the House of Commons today will have MPs on all sides joining in the condemnation of Mr Murdoch and his empire. Politicians, once scared of him, are now lining up to stop his ambition to own even more of the country's media.
News International's other papers, The Sun and The Sunday Times have been dragged into the scandal, although The Sun has been forceful in denying it obtained stories and information through illegal activity. It strongly denies underhand moves to obtain information about ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his family. Other media organisations will now be wondering when they will be dragged into the whole affair and there will be a lukewarm response from them to a public Inquiry, even if publicly they will have to be seen to support it.
The Police have been totally embarrassed by the whole scandal, their investigations and actions, seen as incompetent, with suggestions in some quarters of a cover-up. Certainly, it has been revealed that members of the police force took money from sources within News International and there have been allegations that investigations were not pursued because of the relationship between Mr Murdoch's empire and members of the Metropolitan Police.
The Home Affairs Committee gave four senior police a tough grilling on Tuesday and next week are expected to quiz senior executives from News International, including Rebekah Brooks, who still retains the support of Rupert Murdoch.
One day a film will be made of this scandal, but some parts will have to be toned down for fear of audience disbelief. Who would have thought that Rupert Murdoch would become a pariah amongst the very people who, just a week or so ago, trembled in his presence, even as they supped his champagne?
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