Far be it for me to revel in the misfortune of others [pause for parental and fraternal sniggers] but it is rather gratifying two of the people I hate the most take such a kicking this week. I was amazed when Murdoch closed News of the Word on Thursday evening, and startled when Coulson was arrested yesterday. Serious doubt must now be cast on the reputations of both David CaMoron and Rupert Murdoch.

Yet shortly after the news broke on Thursday about NOTW, my amazement and mirth turned into concern. It is true that it was little more than a gossip-spewing rag, but it didn’t have to be shut down. As many more knowledgeable commentators have pointed out, this closure was entirely tactical, as it paves the way for both a seven day sun and the Newscorp Takeover of Sky. In effect, then, Murdoch as sacrificed a paper, many of whose reporters had nothing to do with phone hacking, in order to tighten his grip on the UK Media. Moreover, many of the execs who were indeed responsible for phone hacking have kept their jobs. Surely this seems very dodgy: Rupert Murdoch is playing games with the UK media. It just goes to show how powerful and manipulative this man is. It also raises several questions which I do not know the answer to, but which leave a nasty taste in my mouth.

And what about David CaMoron’s involvement in all this? This morning he seems to be off the hook, yet the fact remains he employed a man now charged with the most underhand of practices. He is also an associate of Rebekah Brooks, one of Murdoch’s chief lieutenants who, despite her involvement in the NOTW scandal, has kept her job. He also is good friends with Matthew Freud, who is married to Murdoch’s daughter Elisabeth. They’re all part of the so called ”chipping Norton set”. In short, they’re all part of the same clique – a very powerful clique which seems able to play us all for fools and seems almost above the law.

CaMoron will, of course, keep his job. After thirteen years in opposition, the Tories won’t relinquish power that easily. More importantly, though, he will now allow Murdoch to take control of sky in return for his support. The combination of the Tories and the most powerful media company on the planet seems a very frightening prospect indeed. What all this will lead to I cannot say, but Mudoch is now in a position to utterly control the british media, and he will have the governments backing in doing so; in return, the tories will have Murdoch’s backing. Something is afoot and it doesn’t sound right.