Some of those defending Ross and Brand make the point that the matter would have slipped quietly into history+ without the Daily Mail's intervention. They fail to acknowledge that this intervention came only after (and no doubt because) representations on behalf of Sachs had failed to extract an apology. The BBC could not have handled the whole matter more badly, but still I am with Paul Burke: I would rather have the Beeb than Murdoch. In fact I go farther: I would rather have our newspapers controlled by the government of the day than by Murdoch. Or I would if governments were capable of acting independently of Murdoch.

In most respects the Ross and Brand apologists make valid points and, notwithstanding my personal unease about Brand in particular, I have allowed myself to be persuaded into their corner.