Rupert’s Revenge

Friday 17th June

The Sun newspaper, which still has the largest circulation despite generally falling sales, has finally come out positively for the Leave campaign.  Their headline a couple of days ago was “Be Leave In Britain.”  And you have to hand it to the Sun headline writers, it is a classic if very simple message, combining the message with a sadly misplaced Nationalism.  Was there really any doubt which way the Sun, or actually the machinations of Rupert Murdoch, would swing?  Murdoch started his illustrious career in Australia but then moved to the U.K. where he supported Thatcher and her right-wing agenda to the hilt, being rewarded by being allowed to both buy The Times and to buy BSB and turn it into BSkyB and eventually Sky.  He then moved to and became an American and has been anti Europe ever since.

In 1997 he switched sides and backed the winner-to-be Tony Blair.  And maybe that is the real story here.  Not Rupert’s supposed Anti-Europeanism but the fact that he is astute and likes to back a winner.  Cameron to win in 2010 was a no-brainer.  But then came phone-hacking and Rupert’s closing The News of the World and having to be dragged in front of a parliamentary committee to defend his papers and his own reputation.  He has never really forgiven Cameron.  But in 2015 he still supported him, possibly he couldn’t be seen to support Ed Milliband at that time.  But now with Cameron reeling on the ropes he sees his moment for revenge and to back a winner at the same time.

The polls have been sliding around but are beginning to coalesce on a Brexit victory.  Who knows what headlines there will be on Tuesday, Wednesday and Polling day next week “Please Release Us, Let Us Go (for we don’t love you anymore)” or “Goodnight Vienna” or “We Are The Champions” – if England manage to get out of their group.  Whatever , we can bet the rhetoric will be ramped up to fever pitch.  And the Sun on Friday may be saying again “It was the Sun What Won It.”  We will see, but in a way this is a turning point, the Sun may just have called it right and Rupert will get his revenge.