離開
進入《中英對照讀新聞》UK parliament celebrates "VM day" - victory over Murdoch 英國國會慶祝戰勝梅鐸的「VM日」
◎俞智敏
Britain’s parliament celebrated victory over Rupert Murdoch recently, breaking the spell which the Australian-born media mogul has held over the country’s politics for three decades.
英國國會最近歡慶擊敗澳洲裔媒體大亨梅鐸，打破了梅鐸控制英國政壇近30年的魔咒。
Murdoch’s News Corp withdrew its bid for full control of pay TV operator BSkyB a couple of hours before parliament met to demand with one voice that the takeover be scrapped because of phone hacking allegations engulfing a News Corp tabloid.
在英國國會召開會議、全體議員無異議要求梅鐸旗下「新聞集團」應該為了旗下八卦小報涉入電話竊聽案，取消收購付費電視台「英國天空廣播公司」（BSkyB）所有股權的計畫前數小時，新聞集團即宣布撤回收購案。
"The decision made by News Corp was not the decision they wanted to make," said the often criticised Labour leader Ed Miliband, who has grown in stature during the crisis. "This is a victory for parliament," Miliband added to cheers from lawmakers on both sides of parliament.
「新聞集團的決定並不是他們想要做出的決定，」自身也常遭批評的工黨領袖米勒班說，他在這場危機中，反而日益受人尊重。「這是國會的勝利，」米勒班在國會朝野議員歡呼聲中補充說。
It has become a rite of passage for British political leaders to cosy up to Murdoch, known as "The Dirty Digger". Thatcher, Tony Blair and current Prime Minister David Cameron all received the Murdoch stamp of approval before they took office.
對於英國政治領袖而言，與被稱為「骯髒扒糞者」的梅鐸交好，已成為政壇的必經歷程。前首相柴契爾、布雷爾與現任首相卡麥隆在就任前，都曾獲得梅鐸的首肯認同。
"All of us for far too long have been in thrall to some sections of the media," Miliband said.
米勒班說，「我們受到部份媒體的控制已經太久了。」
新聞辭典
break the spell：片語，指解除魔咒，或指結束某種著迷狀態、終結某人或某事的影響力，例句︰At the end of the second movement, some idiot broke the spell by applauding.（就在第二樂章結束時，某個白痴竟然拍起手來，破壞了整首樂曲的魔力。）
rite of passage：被視為是象徵生命中重要改變的行為，例句︰For many, going to college is a rite of passage.（對許多人來說，唸大學是人生的重要大事。）
thrall：為名詞，指奴隸、奴僕，或像奴隸般受支配、沉緬於某狀態無法自拔的人，in thrall to sb/sth則指受…控制、深受…影響，例句︰He was completely in thrall to her.（他完全拜倒在她的石榴裙下。）
