Laws for the rich and the poor

Several years too slow in fact. Private Eye magazine had vilified Rupert Murdoch for more than five years regarding the hacking. Surely his lawyers would have told him, but Private Eye was not sued. Private Eye has extensively advertised the relationships between the current British prime minister and News Corp and notably with Rebekka West of the News of the World.

Six members of the Media Committee said that Rupert Murdoch was “not a fit person” to run a major international business, but four others (from PM Cameron’s party) disagreed, as it split on party lines.

Labour’s Tom Watson said Mr Murdoch was more to blame for the hacking scandal “than any individual alive” and the committee was right to censure him – a position backed by four other Labour MPs and one Liberal Democrat on the committee, but the four Conservative MPs on the body said there was no evidence to support this, and the judgement was outside their remit.

Mr Murdoch is a typical example of a bloated ego expecting, with his wealth, to get away with anything he chooses to do. He has spoken on the scandal. What he has said was (what one of Margaret Thatcher’s ministers claimed in similar circumstances) “economical with the actuality”.

Thailand has a similar ego to cope with, and with the same predilections. 

RICHARD BOWLER

Bangkok