About British Newspapers and Politics

The press is so powerful that it is sometimes referred to as "the fourth estate', the other three being the Commons, the Lords and the monarch. The nowadays British national newspapers were commented by the BBC sitcom Yes Minister: Humphrey: The only way to understand the press is to remember that they pander to their readers' prejudices. Hacker: Don't tell me about the press; I know exactly who reads the papers.

• The Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country.
• The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country.
• The Times is read by people who actually do run the country.
• The Daily Mail is read by wives of the people who run the country.
• The Financial Times is read by people who own the country.
• The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country.
• And The Daily Telegraph is read by people who think that it is.

Humphrey: Oh, and Prime Minister, what about people who read The Sun? Bernard: Sun readers don't care who runs the country as long as she's got big tits.