He has been told to expect a backlash before the next general election following the break down in historic relations between Labour leaders and the mogul who has successfully deployed the influence of his media empire over British politics for decades.
But Mr Miliband – who has been criticised for “playing the Murdoch game” under the New Labour governments – is said to have decided the exposure of the excesses of the now defunct News of the World and other titles is a tipping point for the press which demands urgent reform.
The Labour leader, who has succeeded in making the political running as detail after shocking detail of the hacking scandal evolved, wants to ensure the full scale of Prime Minister’s involvement with, and judgement over, News International chief executive executive Rebekah Brooks and his former press chief Andy Coulson are scrutinised.
But he also wants to see wider reform of the way the press generally is regulated, with the focus on the replacement of the Press Complaints Commission, criticised for being toothless. There is concern that a move from self-regulation to statutory regulation would place unacceptable restrictions on the press and lead to political interference.
In an increasingly strong alliance between Labour and Lib Dem MPs the coalition Government is being presented with a destabilising threat to its unity. The Murdoch bid to take over ownership of the whole of BSkyB was unexpectedly and dramatically referred to the Competition Commission as parliamentary support increased for a motion forcing the Goverment’s hand.
The motion, tabled in the name of the Leader of the Opposition, said: “This House believes that it is in the public interest for Rupert Murdoch and News Corp to withdraw their bid for BskyB.”
The Government has announced two inquiries, one to be led by a judge into specific illegalities centred on hacking of telephones and other devices and another, which is to begin shortly, into general press standards. There are fears among MPs that a lengthy judicial investigation into the NoW would allow public outrage to dissipate and any culpability at a senior level to be obscured.
One aide to Mr Miliband said: “There must be no delay and no typical establishment fudge on this. It must begin soon and it must go all the way. This is not party political but the rooting out of a corrupt sub-culture.”
