"The Murdochs have sacrificed loads of innocent workers rather than take responsibility for their own actions."

Precisely my immediate response - Murdoch sure knows how to ruthlessly sever a limb!

As the free-lance fellow on Newsnight said last night, the NotW buying public would fast forget this affair next week and be back buying, any immediate financial losses would be quickly recouped as the "strategic" withdrawal of nervous advertisers stepped back in again after the furore dies down.

What's the readership of the NotW? Something like 2 million? That's a major severance by Murdoch. However the major problem for Murdoch isn't financial losses from short-term glitches, but the long-term effects of negative association to his global news empire brand.

This decision is an indication of just how intent he is on securing that BSB Sky deal.