Beware the wounded monster

It’s not all over. The monster isn’t dead, merely wounded. At the eleventh hour, it’s the unlikely victory of the first battle in a long war – a war that will actually continue long after the monster is dead, which can’t be long away now. There are very many equerries of evil ready to do his bidding, through alternative strategies that are already in place as we rejoice...

Anyway, enough of the cod psycho-mythological-speak. Basically, many people are gloating over a struggle that has not been and may never be won – assuring that British media and broadcasting remains as plural and diverse as possible.

History shows that tyrants destroy what they cannot have. Those who seek to protect BSkyB and the BBC may be relieved today, but they should remain very worried about the next campaign in the destructive career of this businessman from beyond.

Having controlled our media for 40 years, Murdoch is hell-bent on bringing down the BBC, the last great British institution we have. There’s no point in protecting an institution just because it is one. But there is no better broadcaster in the world than the BBC. Despite its recent troubles, its quality remains untouchable today. It is the envy of the world and I want to protect that quality.

Due to the rarity of success, we have a tendency in this country to gloat over victories, something that the rest of the world knows how to take advantage of. This is no time to gloat. Heave a sigh of relief at a close-run thing, yes, but let’s not put this subject away just yet. Our politicians almost let us down big time on this one. Only a week or so ago they were all at the parties and taking the phone calls. If we have scared and frightened politicians, how can we protect what is really valuable in our lives?

The power of social media today is such that it’s very hard to believe that Tony Blair would’ve been able to take this country into disastrous war in Iraq, had that digital power been available back in 2003. Indeed, Tony Blair was very lucky that he governed when the power of the public to intervene and put pressure on politicians was in its infancy.

Cameron must be shocked. He can’t have foreseen this. Great. It means that there is no longer any subject on which politicians can take the electorate for granted, at any time in the electoral cycle, however strong their majority in Parliament.

Digital pressure group, 38 Degrees, is asking its membership right now whether to sustain the anti-Murdoch game or move on to something else. They must press on. There are new dangers ahead.

Who can now believe that one man has influenced UK political life so closely for 40 years? It cannot happen again. Freedom and democracy in this country depend on keeping Murdoch out of power here. But the real battles over the continuing success and honesty of our media institutions do not recognise national boundaries.

13th July 2011 has been a great day as far as the goals of Ideal are concerned. In one day, we’ve seen Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall take the wishes of millions of Europeans with him to politicians in charge of Fisheries policy in the EU. And we’ve seen an angry monster accept he’s lost a big battle.

But the war is not won. As Gordon Brown has said, lawbreaking on an industrial scale has taken place. Politicians – the people whom we elect to defend our interests - must continue to be held to account. When he was in power himself, Gordon Brown did nothing.

We here at Ideal will continue supporting organisations like 38 Degrees and Avaaz and urge everyone who cares about important issues of freedom and democracy to do the same.

Mark Griffiths www.idealconsulting.co.uk