The News of the World phone-hacking scandal has by turns been outrageous and occasionally surreal, but now it is simply despicable:
The News of the World illegally targeted the missing schoolgirl Milly Dowler and her family in March 2002, interfering with police inquiries into her disappearance, an investigation by the Guardian has established.
If you’re not angry yet, read the rest of the article, particularly this part:-
Milly’s voicemail box filled up and would accept no more messages. Apparently thirsty for more information from more voicemails, the News of the World intervened – and deleted the messages that had been left in the first few days after her disappearance. According to one source, this had a devastating effect: when her friends and family called again and discovered that her voicemail had been cleared, they concluded that this must have been done by Milly herself and, therefore, that she must still be alive. But she was not. The interference created false hope and extra agony for those who were misled by it.
The News of the World is but one tentacle of the slimy Murdoch empire. The Tory government are, little by little, handing over control of the media to these people, and with it, immense power to influence the political agenda and shape public opinion. Can we trust these people to use that power responsibly? Reread the Guardian article linked to above and draw your own conclusions.
Cancel your Sky subs, switch to the Sunday Mirror and – if you’re not doing so already – boycott the Sun. Hit them in the pocket; it’s the only language they understand.