Murdoch’s responsibility Sir: Having examined Rupert Murdoch’s dealings with successive governments, Tom Bower (‘Dangerous liaisons’, 28 April) wearily concludes: ‘Blaming the businessman for exploiting politicians’ follies is akin to blaming whales for eating sardines.’ Does the conservative doctrine of personal responsibility extend to media moguls? Or is that, as Leona Helmsley said of paying taxes,
Place names If François Hollande is elected French president this week, he will join a very small group: world leaders whose surnames match the names of foreign countries (although Holland is strictly only a region of the Netherlands). — The closest world leader currently to bear this distinction is Co-Prince Joan Enric Vives Sicilia,
Home A report by the Commons culture media and sport select committee into News International and phone-hacking declared: ‘Rupert Murdoch is not a fit person to exercise the stewardship of a major international company.’ Four of the ten members of the committee did not endorse this finding. David Cameron, the Prime Minister, was called to
At the end of the month, a group of protestors plan to descend upon a field in Hertfordshire and ‘decontaminate’ (i.e. destroy) a field of genetically modified wheat. The activists, from an organisation called Take the Flour Back, claim to be saving Britain from a deadly menace. In reality, they are threatening not only to
Jeremy Clarke, our Low Life correspondent, has sobered up to answer our impertinent questions this week. His latest book, One Middle Aged Man in Search of The Point, is available in hardback. 1) What are you reading at the moment? Classic Crews: A Harry Crews Reader 2) As a child, what did you read under
James Forsyth highlights David Cameron’s warning about the eurozone, and previews the coming battle over pensioners’ benefits. David Blackburn reports on a weekend to forget for the Tories, and wonders whether Grant Shapps is in line for a promotion. Melanie McDonagh analyses the ongoing row over the Catholic Church and gay marriage. Jonathan Jones brings
Kate Hoey, the independent minded Labour MP for Vauxhall, is in the hot seat this week. She’s reading Boris on London and would save The Pilgrim’s Progress from a burning library. 1) Which book’s on your bedside table at the moment? Johnson’s Life of London by Boris Johnson 2) Which book would you read to
