I caught just a little of BBC Breakfast this morning - it was at the moment the wonderful Sian Williams asked if The Sun's withdrawal of its support for Labour will affect the result of next year's general election.
I'm sure there are some, many of them working in the Murdoch empire, who believe it will. Personally I believe apart from those who read Socialist Worker and the Daily Mail, the majority of newspaper readers aren't likely to be aware of the political leanings of their chosen organ.
Those who take The Sun for instance are hardly likely to put "because it backs New Labour" as their no1 reason for purchasing the paper. In fact they're not likely to see the question at all unless it sits on page three, where luscious Lavinia from Letchworth opines that "I believe data collection of the demographic of Sun readers is essential to the well-being of small children and animals in our country and I applaud the steps being taken by News International."
My own political leanings are slightly left of centre, but that is not necessarily reflected in my choice of reading. I get a national newspaper only at weekends and am just as likely to buy The Times or The Independent as I am the Guardian. I've even been known to take the Daily Telegraph if it has a decent DVD to give away.
And, despite finding many of his views abhorrent, I thoroughly enjoy reading the columns of motoring fascist Jeremy Clarkson.
For all the political posturing of The Sun, the exchange of horses mid-stream is irrelevant to the result: Labour will lose and the Tories will win, despite the absence of any tangible policies. That's a given. Gordon Brown has made sure of that.
All The Sun has done is make sure it doesn't back the loser. And you can't blame them for that.
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