Why are newspapers still supporting the Tories? | LBC analysis

In recent general elections, most of the major newspapers have backed the Conservative Party to win, as we head towards the final few days before polling day, LBC presenters Matthew Wright, Lewis Goodall and political correspondent Aggie Chambre look at why, although a Labour majority is expected, most of the same newspapers are still backing the Tory party.
00:00 | Matthew Wright speaks to former Editor of The Sun, Kelvin MacKenzie, on his ex-paper's backing of Tony Blair, with the headline: 'It's the Sun that won it'.
08:11 | Lewis Goodall hears from Labour's Pat McFadden, who calls on the major newspaper to endorse his party in a bid to sway voters in the final few days.
15:50 | LBC's political correspondent Aggie Chambre explains to Lewis Goodall the significance of newspaper backing for parties, and how much value it has in terms of votes.
Listen to the full show on Global Player: app.af.globalp...
#LewisGoodall #MatthewWright #Labour #Newspapers #Election #UK #Politics #LBC
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[@BrokenHill56]

McKenzie was and is, an awful man. No lie was ever too big for him to tell in the papers he edited.

[@brianferguson7840]

A Recession is when your neighbour loses his job ! A Depression is when you lose your job ! Recovery is when the Tories lose theirs !🤣🤣🤣

[@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095]

Are you posting this on every political comment section on the planet? 🤣🤣 {:o:O:}

[@timwoodger7896]

😂😂👍

[@BRi-wx7bk]

It's getting boring now.

[@roberthudson3386]

That wasn't funny the first time I heard it and I've heard it like 100 times now.

[@dean9235]

Great comment! 🎉

[@SamLowryDZ-015]

Why are newspapers still supporting the Tories? Why is ANYONE still giving Mackenzie a platform ?

[@peglegmotoring]

answer to the first 1 is because Labour will start closing every tax loophole the owners use. The 2nd is kind of like the Farage anomaly where a nobody gets paid for their useless opinion (although he's now on his Reform grift)

[@chatham43]

@Sam Because here we live in a democracy. If you don't like it...move...but unfortunately we're stuck with you.

[@SamLowryDZ-015]

@@chatham43 So much for freedom of expression in your small world

[@real_wakawaka]

The real answer is tories control newspapers. Many work as consultants, directors, editors and executives. They hold top jobs.

[@robertfmorton]

Still far too many uk voters part with hard cash to buy toilet paper like the Daily Mail, Express, Sun, Express. I see these punters everyday, braindead with the rag under their arm.

[@supernoodles91]

He whines about Sun 'journalists' being targeted by the DPP, ask the people of Liverpool how they feel about their journalists and him in particular. Hate the man.

[@jonmoore873]

Exactly. That made me sick. Think of all the lives they ruined between them. They just managed to dodge the charges.

[@supernoodles91]

@@jonmoore873 100% The headlines McKenzie pushed after Hillsborough, he should never be allowed to escape from!

[@MattBooth]

Hearing people say "Labour are going to win, so it doesn't matter who I vote for" is absolutely infuriating and was a Tory tactic. Hopefully, just as many Tory voters are put off and stay at home.

[@johnrussell3961]

That only covers 3% on the right and 3% on the left. 6% in total 3% have said the Tories are going to lose, so I might as well vote for Reform who I really prefer. Anither 3% said Labour are going to win , so I might as well vote Green, who I really prefer. The gap between labour and Tory remains at 20%.

[@janetnaffine9508]

Sadly, it rather sums up a fair amount of people in the UK. They don’t vote because they can’t be bothered but still find the energy to moan about which ever party are in power!

[@chatham43]

@Matt Labour are home and hosed. Alright..alright...alright!!😊

[@jonkayl9416]

Well some places are always very safe for Labour, its a fact.

[@MattBooth]

@@jonkayl9416 then those voters aren't being asked to tactically vote

[@claymush7476]

Because the papers are owned and run by rich people with vested interests and a corporate agenda. It’s that simple.

[@sv9950]

Totally agree.

[@sylvesternkomo9398]

100%

[@kleptokiller]

And they’re so blatant with it anyone under 60 knows they can’t be trusted

[@amcc5887]

That's for sure, well said 💯👍👍👍

[@jonkayl9416]

Agreed, That why I dont have SKY

[@xalexeastx]

400k copies of The Sun is STILL too many.

[@seebarry4068]

Never buy the sun.

[@ScruffyTubbles]

In Liverpool, most certainly.

[@triffid68]

Growing up my father always had The Mirror delivered. He voted Labour until he retired. Now in his mid-80s, he reads the Mail and although I haven't asked him recently since retiring he thought that Labour were commies. (probably to do with Corbyn) A lot of his generation realises that voting Tory is a dead-end.

[@robinmcarthur3287]

1 copy is too much!

[@paulnewman2000]

Interesting to hear the Venn diagram overlap between Sun readers and Reform voters. It might be time to revive some old Jasper Carrot routines.

[@johncraggs3658]

the Telegraph is unhinged

[@stephanguitar9778]

The Express with bigger words.

[@brianferguson7840]

When Tories suspect that there is some light at the end of the tunnel, They simply steal some more tunnel.

[@sirbarringtonwomblembe4098]

That light is now an express train coming their way.

[@cottagefarm3103]

Kelvin McKenzie, the man who wrote the Hillsborough headlines does not deserve one second of air time.

[@jonkayl9416]

Agreed

[@alexharrison2743]

Starmer was a public servant as DPP - he prosecuted on behalf of the state the files that got put in front of him. To hold a grudge against him personally for prosecuting 25 journalists (who were suspect enough for their files to be on his desk) is a willful ignorance of how the justice system works.

[@mdt105]

I suspect that it's less a grudge and more a fear that as PM, he'd be in a position to change the law so that the next time the prosecution succeeds. Remember, the CPS isn't supposed to prosecute a case unless it is either certain of a conviction or assesses that even if a prosecution is unlikely to succeed it is still in the public interest to try. Starmer has been playing his cards pretty close to his chest in regards to what, if anything, his ideological position is. But the attempt to prosecute the architects of the phone hacking scandal despite knowing he was unlikely to succeed and could have potentially lost his job over it suggests that he's not a fan of the current media environment. And he's about to be in a position to do something about it if he wants to. If I were the sort of scumbag who thought that hacking into people's phones and social media accounts in pursuit of a story - and those people are still running the 'great' British media establishment - was OK, I'd be getting a bit worried as well.

[@chatham43]

@alex So it does work? Thanks for confirming that.

[@grizredford8407]

Newspaper owners consider themselves above justice.

[@col.hertford9855]

More wilful arrogance from the news media….

[@col.hertford9855]

@@mdt105the commission recommended similar regulation as TV media companies. This can’t happen too soon.

[@1erkyrob2]

Kelvin Mackenzie is a slime ball. He should be arrested for his past lies.

[@user-cc7ct1gd9m]

Bit like Blair & Campbell lies to send soldiers to their deaths in Iraq & Afghanistan?

[@TheGava4]

Isn't he a tax exile?

[@user-cc7ct1gd9m]

@@TheGava4 he’s my next door neighbour in weybridge, Surrey

[@hiiichristinaa371]

He is a disgusting character but that's not a reason to arrest him.

[@SerialChiller1000]

I am surprised the families of the 97 (or is it 98 now) don't sue him for defamation. This is coming from an LFC fan.

[@countycod123]

Yesterday's newspapers for yesterday's politics. Cry all you like Fleet Street. How's it feel to be irrelevant?

[@johnrussell3961]

Thatcher said the future wasn’t printing news using metal on Fleet Street. She never imaging the future would be the internet and camera phones. The news brought to your home by the people experiencing it.

[@kleptokiller]

They did this to themselves, they’ve made themselves irrelevant by only pandering to a vast minority of people and not even trying to get younger people to read.

[@countycod123]

@kleptokiller absolutely spot on. Like I've already said. Yesterday's newspaper for yesterday's politics RIP Fleet Street💀

[@amcc5887]

Well said 👍👍👍💯

[@josephinebrevig8748]

Exactly

[@neilg6675]

Starmer obviously hasn't become murdochs personal lap dog like Blair did. It's something he deserves huge credit for and something that TV media should be pointing out Why is the disgraced kelvin mckenzie being asked his opinion?

[@Under-Shepherd]

Perhaps because LBC has absolutely no credibility 😂😂😂

[@IshtarNike]

Lol. And yet he's still pushing a two child benefit cap despite not having the support of the press? That's even more pathetic and nasty. He's trying desperately to court the papers and they're still not on his side.

[@neilg6675]

@IshtarNike he's not pushing it, he's just not pushing to get rid. Its still the tories that are the ones pushing it. If they do it, it'll be something they do closer to the next election I'd expect.

[@lightdrizzle]

Mackenzie is a 🤡

[@FranzBieberkopf]

Nah-he's a see you en tea

[@laurencedavey3121]

@@FranzBieberkopf I'd say it was half and half.

[@davidcolin6519]

@@FranzBieberkopf Sea you next Tuesdays are much maligned and serve many positive purposes, Kelvin MacKenzie has never intentionally done done for the country in his life.

[@christopherhoggins5008]

What this creature did after Hillsborough should negate him from engaging with the public ever again.

[@w-james9277]

Someone should remind the folks at the Express that their party wrecked Britain in 49 days

[@johnrussell3961]

They are now attacking Starmer, pushing Farage and ignoring Sunak.

[@sasserine]

And half of that time, the government was inactive, due to preparing the Queen's funeral.

[@chatham43]

@w Sure Labour could get it down below that.

[@midlandgeordie]

👍👍😂

[@GarethMachin-rb2sg]

Even tories despise tories. Sun readership 400k l didn't realise how much it had dropped. This 62 Yr old white man with hair will be voting Labour with pride in my patriotic heart.

[@StarboundUK]

The print readership for all papers is in the mud courtesy of the internet. There's a whole gen of people under 30 who have NEVER bought a newspaper ever

[@ymarw1684]

I don't know anyone under 40 who buys one ​@@StarboundUK

[@joewilson4191]

Pride? In Labour?😂😂😂

[@weareallbornmad410]

​@@joewilson4191 Yes. Do explain please what's wrong with Labour, I'll be interested to know.

[@stevehoward3475]

Voting for a future Islamic UK it is then !🤐😶🤫 REFORM for your children and grandchildren

[@fathobbit6160]

The absolute brass neck of the man talking about people’s lives being ruined. What an apology for a human being let alone a journalist.

[@Martin36544]

Why doesn’t The Sun sell in Liverpool Kelvin?

[@Gohka]

Because they are owned by Tories.

[@philthrelfall5294]

More that the papers are owned by the same people who own the Tories!?

[@bobikdylan]

I love the Mail's paywall. All the columnists I particularly hate (Littlejohn, Glover, Hitchins) are behind it so I don't have to read their nonsense. Is anyone actually paying for it?

[@kiljaeden7663]

So the Sun doesn't like Starmer because of something they themselves did?

[@mr.mayhem7402]

The newspapers don't know the news that the Tories are finished.

[@chaz4510]

I’m loving that the papers are against Labour but they will win without them. Means we will have a government who aren’t working with client journalists and might even have a media reforming agenda.

[@thedeadmoneyallstars]

Might be worth an email to your new MP about that, my tactical candidate sent a nice reply pretty quickly

[@keithparker1346]

So tell me how you reform the media without it being censorship?

[@stephanguitar9778]

​@keithparker1346 Perhaps onshore for tax purposes, even better if the owners are onshore too. Perhaps a ban on outright lies.

[@LeafHuntress]

@@keithparker1346 Implement Levison2. Ban foreign ownership of British media. When they lie, make sure their retractions are on the same page/place/font/font-size as the original article. That last one will be devastating for the daily mail, whose unreliability is so infamous that you cannot use it as a source on Wikipedia. Just some of the thoughts popping up in my head. British media is VILE.

[@keithparker1346]

@@tzrgazza so you would have the government determining what's a lie and what's not? Super dangerous

[@ScepticalBrit]

Vote them out!!! Vote tactically!!!!!

[@johnchristmas7522]

VOTE REFORM

[@stephenconway2468]

@@johnchristmas7522 Why? Even their own candidates are giving up.

[@terryh5741]

​Labour bot

[@stephenconway2468]

@@terryh5741 Nope. You don't like when people tell you how Reform is.

[@wrestlingp]

​@@johnchristmas7522that's a fantastic idea, to split the Tory vote and allow Labour in. Cheers!

[@JoeWedgwood-ik9zo]

Shows how out of touch and irrelevant the print media has become

[@joyceflowershed]

Labour for me, don't see any other party that can take over and clean up this mess🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@johnrussell3961]

Labour are offering to try. The Tories and reform just want to make it worse.

[@jaybok100]

Labour will ruin what's left of this country Vote Reform if you want real change

[@1loumellor51]

@@johnrussell3961reform are the only party that will fix anything

[@zoltan-zq3xe]

Islamic soviet Britain the way forward I agree.

[@clinthardy1954]

Reform UK is the only political party with real solutions to every day problems.

[@daveward4358]

I havent read a newspaper for 20 years.

[@johnrussell3961]

New agents have turned into corner shops. They are bemused if you go in asking for a newspaper.

[@dogwalker666]

I haven't read a newspaper!

[@daveward4358]

@@dogwalker666

[@dogwalker666]

@@daveward4358 Even when I was a kid Radio and TV gave the news way faster and more accurately than newspapers, They are only suitable for wrapping fish n chips.

[@IMBlakeley]

I glance at the Webshites, I've not bought a newspaper for 40+ years.

[@pipoo1]

When it comes to the NHS Labour have a clear and provable track record of running it properly with right amount of money, staff and infrastructure. If we want to still have the NHS in five years from now the country needs a Labour Government. It’s that simple.

[@joso7228]

i deliver Newspapers in a Middle Class area. The readers are around 70-75 up. And many 90 year old Grannies still getting their Daily Mail. There are so few under 60 readers. Its a dying trade like Normal TV Channels.

[@amcc5887]

Exactly 👍👍👍💯

[@johnrussell3961]

I remember when they sold so many papers, they didn’t need ads! Then they could be as vitriolic as they liked.

[@rayofhope1114]

Nobody takes any notice of the likes of D Mail or D Express or D Telegraph. End of newspapers running opinion.

[@petelawless811]

You know everyone do you ?

[@Skygrey2943]

They still set the agenda for what is covered on TV and radio. Also The Daily Heil's website does pretty well. Press gazette says The Heil reaches 31 million readers monthly.

[@rayofhope1114]

@@petelawless811 Well actually yes -- I run a newspaer etc shop and know how many newspapers I sell and the type of customer who buys them. Fact is newspaper sales have dropped off a cliff in the past 2 years and the majority of purchasers that bother are over 75. It looks bad for the newspapers with the younger generations who simply do not buy newspapers.

[@rayofhope1114]

@@Skygrey2943 Not for much longer -- it is online podcasts that matter going forward.

[@VictorCharlesEvans]

BECAUSE THEY WANT THE TAX DODGING AND MILKING THE SYSTEM TO CONTINUE!!!!

[@josephinebrevig8748]

Exactly

[@Gramsci]

News International tapped the phones of dead children. Sorry, looking for my violin…

[@nathanadler6991]

The Sun was, is and continues to be a disgrace.

[@ShaunieDale]

Two Tories bemoaning the fact that the country is about to become a better place for the working class of this country. “Legislation that is going to become unhelpful for the news coverage”. Yep they will force the newspapers to become more honest, wah wah wah, what will we do?

[@user-wj7cv9hb5j]

Better place for the working class? Best vote reform if that's your goal dont vote labour.

[@sbrown314]

I don't think Times Radio realise how bad that McKenzie interview makes them look. McKenzie was literally bragging how Murdoch subverted British democracy with his 'get in early' strategy.

[@user-zc4yd9ss7h]

The right wing press does the bidding of their owners. These people tend to be very rich. Obviously they want the Tories to win.

[@williamgeorgefraser]

Newspapers are just tomorrow's fish and chip wrappers.

[@stephanguitar9778]

Digital chips 🍟

[@chrissouthgate4554]

To inky for health & safety nowadays. Not sure if its soft enough for other uses.

[@user-uo2qs3ys7e]

It's time for change it's Time for a Labour government

[@1loumellor51]

Time for reform

[@petersherwood8565]

Time for reform

[@roberthudson3386]

It's irrelevant, there is no difference between Labour and the Tories.

[@stephenbain389]

I stopped taking newspapers seriously a long time ago.

[@marshaden817]

starmer got my vote

[@catherinemartin6258]

Me too and my family

[@elvishprincess321]

I give it six months & you will badly regret that vote.

[@Wimblefish]

​@elvishprincess321 I'd rather regret the things I did do than the things I didn't

[@jackn4853]

@@elvishprincess321 You know this to be true, how? Have you used your gift of foresight to win the lottery, Derby winner, next seasons Premier league?

[@georgeclayton]

@@elvishprincess321 Hah! No way

[@jamesanders7852]

Total eclipse of the S*n

[@genagg5248]

"[...] would be a betrayal" ... of our billionaire owners [TLDW]

[@matthewcoyle3315]

Weird that a journalist would invite Kelvin McKenzie on his show to critique media operations and not ask the guy about Hillsborough.

[@monkeyboy8424]

You can't trust a Prime Minister with a one inch forehead and doesn't know when to carry an umbrella.

[@paulbats6996]

Cut and paste job. 😮

[@monkeyboy8424]

@@paulbats6996 You can't trust a Prime Minister with a one inch forehead and doesn't know when to carry an umbrella.

[@juliegale3863]

Most of us cannot afford newspapers now so why should we take any notice of what they say any more.

[@prendo147]

Shame on you ex sun employees

[@kokliangchew3609]

Starmer prosecuting Sun 'journalists' gets my vote anyday!

[@quique2886]

People going on social media and countering the views of papers is one of the causes of their downfall.

[@bobikdylan]

That old headline perfectly showed the contempt Murdoch and his dreadful minions had and have for their readers. By using what they believed to be typical proletarian grammatical mistakes, they betrayed how they really see them.

[@GiratinaofFury]

The only use for a newspaper these days is lining the litter tray, or laying down on the table when working on messy crafting projects.

[@maradellabianca381]

The Sun to support Reform will have a page 3 photo of Nigel Farage showing his Bristols and his union jack thong in his hand saying 'Vote for me and make Y-fronts worn on your head British again.

[@monkeyman367]

The toilet papers is more accurate

[@swanvictor887]

Was Mckenzie speaking from a prison cell...where he should be...?

[@MangoEV]

where you with him when he wrote “the truth” aswell Mathew? Fxxx the sun

[@mrsdanvers9562]

What about the lives journalists have ruined as has he himself has done.

[@user-zz6cl1wx6f]

The Newspapers shouldn't be Supporting Anyone. They should be Impartial.

[@VinceLammas]

What has changed is that nobody is reading!

[@Serpsss]

"LBC a bit more balanced" ROFL. Lets not forget that LBC recently swapped out a left wing host for yet another right winger.

[@LeafHuntress]

Which would still make it "a bit more balanced" than those tory rags. Lewis just didn't say by how much...

[@seanpatrick1243]

Mackenzie says Starmer will bring in legislation that will be unhelpful to news coverage directly after proudly admitting that Murdoch would use his endorsement to influence legislation. News should REPORT on politics NOT INFLUENCE it!

[@BrianFairlamb]

Because they are arrogant and in the pocket of the Tories they can get away with their propaganda

[@liamhansell]

Vote Tactically! Get the tories down to a few seats as possible 😎👍🏻

[@danthomassolo]

It is f*cking terrifying that Pat McFadden WON’T say that they want the country to be more equal at the end of the next parliament…I mean, how f*cking hard is it to say “we want the benefits of growth to be distributed in a way that makes our country more equal”. The fact that he won’t do it is deeply troubling.

[@rabburns1382]

The 1% never lose....❤😊

[@andrewabel3927]

Newspapers support the Tories because the owners are Tory supporters. Simple is simple does. You really do not have to be a media commentator to think that through, unless of course you work for a newspaper or media owner

[@JO-tg6xm]

You ignored the importance of social media. News is now in the hand of the people

[@philthrelfall5294]

And truth & consistency are in the lap of the Gods!?

[@alidawson6118]

Sorry but I turned off as soon as Mackenzie opened his lying mouth.

[@Fredric_Cedrich]

I dunno why Louis used the pandemic as an excuse for the Tories when instead of trying to help the count they used the opportunity to get as rich as they could.

[@Skylark_Jones]

Why does the Tory press still support the Tories? Why, it's because they're the Tory press, the billionaire-owned press that has strong links to Tories. At least one of their journalists is an ex-Tory politician. Hint: Boris Johnson.

[@paulbats6996]

Newspapers are fading to grey.

[@sirbarringtonwomblembe4098]

Very Strange comment!😅

[@sasserine]

From my rare interactions with The Mail Online, it appears to consist of articles screaming allegations that the country is full of groomers, alongside articles telling their readers that a child actress/singer is nearly legal, and to 'get a load of that, don't get many of them to the pound, she's not going to drown with those airbags, eh, eh, eh?". You know, totally innocent stuff 'you hear down the pub'.

[@RedJadeArt]

12:52 This is a false dichotomy. Under the Tories we had high inequality *and* low growth. Why not have high growth *and* less inequality? Maybe the whole strategy of cutting public services to try and boost growth just failed. It didn’t produce growth and just made lives worse.

[@JustSumGeek]

This Tory government is the worst government I have ever seen... If they even get one vote that would suprise me

[@Kwippy]

Why pay for news that has a trace of the truth when you can get "news" that appeals to your prejudice for nothing on social media?

[@kanedNunable]

when did the sun or mail have a trace of truth? they are even worse than social media.

[@degaulle30]

On Thursday night Kelvin Mackenzie will be crying into his whiskey. I'll be laughing into mine. 😂😂😂. Bye Thatcherism 👋. Bye Murdoch press 👋. Bye Tory Party 💀

[@pj1471]

Surely the natural thing for the Sun is to support Reform.

[@NexusApollo]

When Fleet Street dies, Murdoch’s grip on the media will finally be broken, leading to genuine journalistic renewal in Britain.

[@chassidyswann8951]

Goodall is so horrible at interviews... Stop badgering the guest and let him respond.

[@brianoriordan7281]

So there are still ,400.000 idiots being confused by the Sun

[@collettelefebvre8392]

STARMER is a KLAUS SCHWAB YOUNG LEADER ,,, You Will own NOTHING and be Happy ,,,, same as BLAIR !

[@UKsoldier45]

The fact everything knows Starmer is so weak. He will be steamrollered by the unions and the hawks in his cabinet.

[@Cirrus_Minor]

All that Lewis Goodall done was throw out some strawman argument and refused to move from this point, that was honestly shocking and painful to watch. talk about a mouth piece.

[@mooniemuk]

Kelvin Mackenzie should have no platform

[@jamesbenson8118]

LBC is Balanced according to the presenter 😂

[@andersman666]

Lives destroyed by prosecitions? Hillsborough ring any bells Kelvin?

[@anthonymcnamee6297]

Ask Murdoch he has papers and tv

[@garypatterson2857]

Was interested until I saw the line under the guest's name - "Former editor of The Sun". No, just no. There's nothing that comes from the Murdoch Empire that I will listen to. They've lost all credibility.

[@joex2004uk]

McKenzie should be in prison for the lives he’s destroyed. Not least the 96 at Hillsborough.

[@mauromatos3124]

Why would Labour not want to fight against inequality. This overcaution and timidity is what going to be it's downfall and open the doors to the populists.

[@Nigel1066]

Because they no the course this country will take if Labour gets in

[@greamespens1460]

"A string of journalists from The Sun were pursued through the courts but cleared of any wrongdoing, on Sir Keir Starmer’s watch as Director of Public Prosecutions." Source The Sun

[@simongoodwin926]

The enabler of Murdoch, disgusting.

[@londongirl1733]

Save UK vote REFORM 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧

[@Bazball-vg2bh]

Vote Reform UK 🇬🇧

[@roberthudson3386]

Of all the developments in politics during my life of nearly 40 years, the decline of the tabloids' influence is one of the few things that has been a genuine positive.

[@alisonchard]

Why can't newspapers be unbiased towards any party and give equal time to all parties in an election? They should always tell the facts only and stop helping peddle lies and mis-information backed by laws to stop it.

[@grogery1570]

I won't buy a newspaper because I don't think I should have to pay for propaganda.

[@arma21regency]

To get Labour to say they want to help the poorest in society was like pulling teeth