I must admit to having a bit of a soft spot for the News of the World …until all the allegations about the disgraceful phone-tapping and illicit payments to Mr Plod. To be honest, I’m pleased about its closure, this kind of sleazy, spiv-like behaviour has no place in a society that prides itself in a free press.
And I think I know the reason why. The British are a prudish, reserved people so the NOTW’s Sunday titillation was welcomed on kitchen tables which for many years had creaked under the weight of ‘we don’t talk about s-e-x’. How nice it was to read about cabinet ministers’ sexual preferences and the shopping habits of footballers’ wives. So while the broadsheet-reading paragons of virtue were putting the world to rights over Sunday breakfast, NOTW readers were enjoying a real Sunday roast of sex lies and videotape.
After the current round of allegations, the ubiquitous Mr Mudoch had no choice but to shut up shop. The staff in question have brought shame and disgrace to journalism in the UK and have consigned a much-loved British institution to the dustbin. Shame on them.