Was it Dubya wot won The Sun for Blair?

So, as predicted, The Sun has come out* for Tony Blair. In the week that white smoke announced the Vatican's election of Cardinal Ratzinger, mock red smoke from The Sun's Wapping HQ announced The Sun's decision.

The Sun was so supportive of Michael Howard in his early months as leader and, loved the Tories' agenda on tax, crime, Europe and immigration. But, in the end, the red top has given New Labour a final chance.

I wonder if George W Bush had anything to do with it?

'W' couldn't help Tony Blair - his war buddy - in many ways. An endorsement would send TB's poll rating crashing. Bush's massive base of financial conbtributors can't fund a UK election. But Bush is very close to Rupert Murdoch, owner of The Sun and Fox News.

All but one of Murdoch's 170 or so global newspaper titles backed the liberation of Iraq. Murdoch's American media empire was energetic in support of Bush's 2004 campaign. If Bush could help deliver one thing for Blair it was The Sun...

Comments

[Dave Cross]

I think you're looking for conspiracy theories where there aren't any.

The Sun always ensures that it backs a winner. It simply waited until it became completely obvious who was going to win the election and then it declared its support for that party. This means that on May 6th it will be able to run more "it was the Sun wot won it" headlines.

No conspiracy theory. Nothing to see here. Move along please.

[patrick]

I stumbled across this blog, but let me get this straight - ya'll are conservative Brits? - I had no idea there was such a thing.

Anyway, I thought I had it tough here in the States - ya'll keep your heads up and keep blogging.

[Stephen Newton]

You should read the Sun's own editorial on this. They're happy to join the Tories in a spot of gypo-bashing, but in the end 'it's the economy stupid'.

The Tories can't talk about the economy because the idea of spending more (even after much trumpeted efficiency savings) albeit less than Labour overall (but more than Labour on health, education etc) while borrowing less and cutting taxes doesn't sound credible. Then they put ultra-lightweight Ollie Letwin in charge who, when questioned, merely grins like an idiot who never learned arithmetic.

[EU Serf]

Yeah they just backed the winner. Cynical but thats the way it is.

The idea that Labour will be good for the economy is only slightly ridiculous due to the Tory's wet spending plans. If the Tory's had stuck to a conservative approach, then Labour would be seen as the spendthrift idiots that they really are.