This is extraordinary and needs explanation. When very serious allegations started to be made against News International last summer, it was far from obvious that the Conservatives would be the main victims. The situation looked balanced in their favour. Certainly, David Cameron had made appalling misjudgments in employing the former News of the World editor Andy Coulson and becoming too close to the former Sun editor Rebekah Brooks. But Labour, it appeared, was even more embarrassed. Ed Miliband was almost the last guest to leave Rupert Murdoch’s 2011 summer party in Holland Park, and would probably have sucked up to Murdoch even more than he did had he been encouraged to do so. Tony Blair was godfather to Mr Murdoch’s child and incorporated the US media tycoon as a very senior (though unofficial) member of his government. Gordon Brown’s wife, Sarah, notoriously invited both Brooks and Murdoch’s wife, Wendi Deng, to a cringe-making pyjama party at Chequers.