Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The EU's choice, Murdoch or Cable

The EU today cleared Rupert Murdochs takeover of BSkyB. According to the Commission's Joaquin Almunia, EC vice-president and Komissar for competition,
"I am confident this merger will not weaken competition in the UK."
Vince Cable was reported as publically commenting,
"Whilst it has found there are no issues on competition grounds, the EC's decisions on this are independent from the outcome of the separate UK investigation into the merger's potential impact on the sufficiency of media plurality within the UK.
"Ofcom are due to report into this separate matter by the end of this month. I will review their findings once Parliament returns and I will then take the decision on whether this case needs to be referred to the Competition Commission for a full investigation."
Which is interesting as he appears to have told the Telegraph journalists, where the idea that his review will be fair minded is at very best trashed,
"I have declared war on Mr Murdoch, I think I'll win. I didn't politicise it because it is a legal situation.

"He is trying to take over BSkyB. He has a minority shareholding and he wants a majority - and majority control would give them a massive stake. I have blocked it using the powers that I have,

"For people who know what is happening, this is a big, big thing."

According to the BBC, Mr Cable goes on to say: "His (Mr Murdoch's) whole empire is now under attack... So there are things like that we do in government, that we can't do... all we can do in opposition is protest."
The EU has obviously decided that notwithstanding the LibDems support of the EU and all its doings, it would prefer to get the Murdoch press on their side. Sensible of them I would say.

Lets see if the Sun becomes a little less Eurosceptic - after all the Times has already moved in a pro-EU direction in recent months.
This morning I was sure that Cabel would survivre, after this I am no longer convionced. St Vince must be on his way out. Is it too early for David Laws (the con artist) to be brought back?

Update,
Guido asks a very pertinant question
Why Did the Telegraph Hide “War on Murdoch” Story?



No comments:

Twitter