Boycott is only way to tame Murdoch

DOES the Government and Parliament really think the British people are gullible enough to be taken in by the window dressing which took place in the House of Commons, on Wednesday (Yorkshire Post, July 14)? The present and last government and a lot of MPs are no doubt still in Murdoch’s pocket and just waiting for the present furore to go away. Then it will be business as usual.

Murdoch even managed to outsmart them before the debate by announcing he was withdrawing his bid to totally take over BSkyB, possibly stopping more revelations being made on the floor of the House.

The only reason the House of Commons appeared to be united is because this and the last Government have been caught out because of their involvement with News Corporation and the revelation regarding phone hacking and in particular that of Milly Dowler.

In 2006, the Metropolitan Police had the same information regarding whose phones had been hacked into as they do today. I would concede they had their hands full regarding the London terrorist attack, however, it’s several years since that appalling act took place. This is surely time enough to have been able to concentrate on the hacking allegations. Or could it be they didn’t want to upset Murdoch because they allegedly sold information to News Corporation.

I am under no illusion that behind the scenes of the Government and the Met a damage limitation plan is being worked out. I also expect nothing more than a whitewash from the independent inquiry when it reports its findings, with some sacrificial lambs involved taking the blame, because that’s how it works in this country.

Murdoch will be back, he only has to wait six month before he can put in another bid for BSkyB and, as was once said, “a week is a long time in politics”, just imagine six months.

The only way to stop Murdoch is for us the British public to boycott his products. If we all did that then just see how quickly his influence would disappear from our public life. The choice is ours: Murdoch pulling the strings or us, the British public.

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.

GORDON Brown makes a complaint that newspapers within News International used illegal means to find out details of his bank accounts and to obtain medical records of his poorly son. If illegal methods were used that is definitely wrong, and going after private items such as the health of someone’s child, is reprehensible.

However, Brown was aware as far back as 2006 that phone hacking was taking place, and he and the Labour Government did absolutely nothing. Why was this? They, like 99 per cent of all politicians were afraid to “upset and antagonise” the Press. They possibly thought that if it was just “celebrities” like actors, comedians, footballers and television stars that was of little importance.

Politicians love the media and the Press when they get good, kind reviews and they positively covet the glow and feel-good factor, but are hypocritically quick to moan when the Press has “a go” at them.

I am sure that a lot of this frenzy by so many politicians is revenge over the disclosure of their vast and often illegal expenses claims. They are secretly hoping for new tougher regulations to muzzle the Press.

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

WHAT is it about the set-up in this country? With the latest phone hacking scandal a definite pattern has emerged. Various bodies are supposed to regulate, monitor and oversee different institutions and all without exception prove to be toothless and about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

Whether it is the FSA for banks, the PCC for the Press or Ofcom for gas and electricity they are uniformly and almost criminally incompetent.

The form seems to be for the politicians to find a tame public figure who can be trusted not to make waves, give him a knighthood and sit back with a feeling of a job well done.

Even the inquiries set up to investigate scandals, such as that of Lord Hutton, are similarly ineffectual.

These recurring mistakes are so ingrained in our society that I fear reform is beyond reasonable expectation. The Augean Stables are not in it and in any case a modern Hercules is nowhere to be seen.

Home rule for Yorkshire

From: Craig Harrison, Silver Street, Hull.

ENGLISH Nationalists just don’t get it do they? Your newspaper covered in great detail and expertise (Yorkshire Post, July 9) an analysis of why Yorkshire was losing out to the rest of England. What’s clear is that Yorkshire needs greater responsibility for its own affairs – and not an English Parliament with all the power and wealth still concentrated in London and the South East.

Be warned fellow Tykes: Yorkshire would be no better off with an English Parliament.

Hibernating Tory MPs

From: Richard Billups, East Avenue, Rawmarsh, Rotherham.

I AM in my 71st year and as far as I can remember no Conservative Government has ever done a darn thing for Yorkshire.

Before every General Election we get visits from the higher echelons of the Conservative Party bearing promises. Just like magic after the election, the visitors and promises disappear.

Conservative MPs representing Yorkshire seem to hibernate until the next election. When someone wakes them about this letter they will come out fighting, telling us how hard they work for Yorkshire.

Well, all we see is the south east of England getting the lion’s share and us the crumbs that fall from the table at Number 10.

I wear a T-shirt with a few words of my feelings about Yorkshire:

Yorkshire a beautiful place; Yorkshire so full of grace; Yorkshire the place of my birth, Yorkshire the best place on earth.

David Cameron has his hands full with Rupert Murdoch coming to the UK to run things instead of running them from the US. So, once again, Yorkshire will take a back seat until Murdoch gets what he wants for putting the chameleon into Number 10.