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Murdoch press `influenced' decision on E.U. referendum

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, APRIL 20. Such is the importance of being the Murdoch press in Britain that the fear of losing its support at the next general election is reported to have been a key factor behind the Prime Minister, Tony Blair's decision to agree to a referendum on the European constitution after repeatedly saying no to it.

The Euro-sceptic Mr. Rupert Murdoch, who owns two of Britain's most influential newspapers-The Times and The Sun-and has a stake in Sky TV, let it be known that they might switch support to the Conservatives at next year's elections if the Blair Government did not call a vote on the proposed constitution which, its critics, say would create a European "super state'' at the cost of national sovereignty.

In a recent interview on Sky TV, Mr. Murdoch made clear that Mr. Blair should not take his newspapers' support for granted — and The Sun, which famously claimed credit for the Labour Party's landslide victory in the 1997 elections, had been running a campaign in support of a referendum.

The Guardian quoted "well-placed sources'' at Mr. Murdoch's News Corp as saying that he had made clear The Sun was prepared to "pull its vote'' if a referendum was not held. It said the prospect of losing The Sun's support would "have sent shivers down the spine of Mr. Blair.''

Meanwhile, Mr. Blair confirmed in the Commons on Tuesday his Government's decision to call a referendum but did not indicate the timing. It is expected to be held after the general elections next year, but the Opposition wants it earlier.

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