"The BBC fans want Murdoch's empire destroyed and their side to have a state-run monopoly. The US Left and the Democrat Party want Murdoch discredited and Fox news destoyed. The future of the concept of a "free press" is in serious trouble."

PDQ: This has nothing to do with 'BBC Fans', which a ludicrous concept in this context anyway, and it's nothing to do with left verses right as both sides of the political divide have been sucking up like lampreys to Mr Rupert's arse. For that reason alone, the Murdochs are, and have been a threat to UK democracy. Despite this rather sad and hubristic display by the Murdochs in the line of some pathetically gentle questioning from all but two of the committee members (and one custard-pie throwing tit), they have overseen one of the most scandalous acts of press criminality most people have ever seen. Remember, most people in the UK don't buy Murdoch tabloids so there's a sizeable number of people who think this is outrageous.

This outrage is genuine and to a large degree apolitical and it's based on public outrage - basic moral code e all adhere to have been transgressed. That's not to say politicians are not jostling for position, of course they are but to think that's the major move behind these proceedings is a gross misunderstanding. View it more as Parliament and people vs. News Corp and you'd be closer to the true nature of how this is viewed in the UK.

You might think this outrage is misplaced, and perhaps in your world it is. Unless, of course, you think it's OK to hack into and delete voicemails from a murdered girl's phone, hack into 7/7 victims phones, the phones of the families of dead soldiers who were killed in action on active service in Afghanistan . . .

I'm all in favour of giving the Murdoch's a trashing, but I don't think you really understand what's happening here and how deep the disgust is amongst the people of the UK.