Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced his intention to withdraw his subscription to Sky Sports 2 in a move that is likely to rock the broadcasting giant to its foundations .
The decision marks his latest salvo in war against Murdoch Empire, with financial repercussions for the organisation of up to £15.99 a month, depending on whether he also opts to ditch the Discovery Channel.
It would also mean that Cable will no longer be able to follow the World Darts Championship and can kiss goodbye to live coverage of the third round Spanish Cup tie between Athletico Madrid and Villareal, unless he watches it round a friend’s house.
Cable’s ambivalent relationship with the Sky Corporation first came to light in June this year after a batch ministerial papers he was carrying were accidentally snapped by photographers. Amongst them were lewd caricatures of Sky mascot Marge Simpson over which Cable had scrawled the phrase “Blue Rinse Whore” .
It is thought Cable’s rabid dislike of the character dates back to episode 198, Series 24 in which Mrs Simpson announces she is an adherent to the Milton Friedman school of laissez-faire economics and ponders whether or not to send her son Bart to private school.
Cable told constituents :
“Yeah I could pull the plug on the whole Sky package just to spite that bitch. Only problem is I’m tied into an eighteen month contract which includes wireless broadband and my mobile phone - so don’t expect this shit to kick off before March 2012. “
Last night senior politicians were discussing the ramifications of Cable’s radical plan. Close friend and confidant, Ming Campbell said:
“A lot will rest on whether Vince elects to keep Discovery as one of his extra channels. He’s a huge fan of the Minke Whale and it just so happens that Discovery are running a series on its mating habits - stuff like pairing off and courtship rituals, right up until the final cumshot. “
“Roughly five pints, give or take a half “
