This story gets murkier by the minute. It doesn't help that the other media and the politicians who are all busy making further allegations all have their own agendas.

For the media, NI is obviously powerful competition, with the prospect of becoming even more powerful. It would clearly benefit them if Murdoch were to fail in his bid for BSkyB. Besides, how confident can we be that their own journalistic practices were always beyond reproach?

As for the politicians, they hate Murdoch because they can't trust him to back them. Labour loved him when his papers won them an election, then hated him when they switched back to the Tories. The Tories live in fear they'll switch their support back again. In the meantime they all cosy up to try to keep in his favour. They need Murdoch's power, but at the same time they'd like to see it reduced.

Before anyone jumps on me, I'm NOT defending Murdoch, simply pointing out that there are a great many layers to this, and that those who are now working hard to bring about his downfall may have other concerns besides the truth, pure and simple. A lot of scores are being settled here. Remember what Wilde had to say about the pure and simple truth, and apply a bit of healthy cynicism to everything you read and hear.