Steamin' Willie, you're wrong about Ofcom. Its primary responsibility in this case would be to establish if the Murdochs are fit and proper people to old a broadcasting licence. A decision that they are not would thwart the NewsCorp takeover of BSkyB. It would also put in question the 39 per cent of BSkyB that is already held by Newscorp.

But there was a new twist this afternoon when Newscorp withdrew and undertaking that it would hive off Sky News if it got its hands on BSkyB. This was widely seen as a cynical move by the Murdochs to park the takeover until quieter times. It left the government with no option but to refer the takeover to another authority, the Competition Commission, because it brings the plurality question to centre stage.

Richard, you have no near to fear any Murdoch-nominee political party emerging. The Murdochs are already holed below the water line. American investors in the company will have driven them out within months, if not weeks.