Rupert Murdoch and the editor of the Times, Harold Evans, in 1981.Credit: AP
While the publicly owned BBC still dominates British media, the Mail and Telegraph are the fourth and fifth most popular online news brands, according to the 2025 Reuters Institute Digital News Report.
Unlike the Murdoch-owned titles, which have been known to endorse different sides of politics depending on the issues of the day, both The Telegraph and The Daily Mail have taken a more inflexible approach in their coverage and in the face of a General Election.
In last year’s election, The Sun and The Sunday Times endorsed Sir Keir Starmer and Labour, while The Times and The Sun on Sunday (all News UK owned) did not offer an endorsement. Both The Mail and The Telegraph, as well as their Sunday editions backed the Conservative Party, which delivered its worst ever electoral result with just 121 seats.
Alongside GB News’ overt support of the Reform party, The Mail and The Telegraph have now emerged as perhaps the most strident supporters of Farage and his party, which – also aided by positive coverage by The Sun – are currently leading British polling for the first time in its history, with immigration its central issue.
Farage and Reform’s rise the polls have caused a further shift in British politics to the right, despite the traditionally centre-left Labour Party in Government. Legislation introduced by new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood last week – curbing the ability for refugees to seek asylum in the United Kingdom – has received broad praise in conservative circles and been criticised harshly in more progressive outlets.
Rothermere’s interest in The Telegraph dates back to 2023, and Rupert Murdoch’s News UK was at one point interested in a joint bid, with the controversial sale process operated by temporary owners RedBird IMI.
An offer from RedBird Capital fell over as recently as last week. Two bids had received public criticism for fear of foreign intervention, including from the Telegraph’s newsroom and editor Chris Evans over the group’s links to China and financial backing from Abu Dhabi.
Fleet Street, while having a waning influence, remains largely dominated by right-leaning mastheads, known for their ferocious attacks and campaign-style reporting.
Metro, also in the DMGT stable is the United Kingdom’s largest print newspaper by circulation, of those whose figures are available. The Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday are the second and third largest respectively, while The Telegraph does not share its circulation figures.
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Just this month, the combined power of the right-wing press was on display, with shared interests in eroding their biggest competitor, the BBC. The Telegraph published a leaked internal BBC memo, which cited allegations the BBC had inappropriately edited Donald Trump’s January 6 speech. Subsequent pressure and sustained coverage of the memo from The Telegraph, The Mail and the News UK titles led to the resignation of Tim Davies, director general and Deborah Turness, the BBC’s News CEO.
The DMGT said under its ownership, The Telegraph will retain its own editorial independence, and Rothermere added it will have the resources to invest in the newsroom under its current editor, Evans, who he praised in 2023 amid rumours he wanted to poach him to edit The Mail.
“Under our ownership, the Daily Telegraph will become a global brand, just as the Daily Mail has,” Rothermere said. Daily Mail Australia is currently the sixth-biggest digital news brand in Australia, according to Ipsos.
The Murdoch’s, both Rupert and Lachlan remain highly influential figures in British politics. At King Charles’ state banquet for Donald Trump in September, Murdoch was seated next to Sir Keir Starmer’s top aide, Morgan McSweeney, one of the most powerful figures in Westminster.
