Murdoch Set to Finance Editor in UK Election

With the personal backing of Rupert Murdoch, the former editor of Britain's biggest-selling tabloid is set to run in a special election triggered by yesterday's surprise resignation of a top Tory. Kelvin MacKenzie, who edited Murdoch's Sun for more than a decade, is preparing to contest the seat vacated by David Davis. Davis quit Parliament in protest after it narrowly passed a law authorizing pretrial detention of 42 days for terrorist suspects.

As the Guardian reports, Davis will run again for his own seat to highlight "fundamental liberties eroded by bullying and bribery in the House of Commons." But as it became clearer yesterday that other parties wouldn't bother to put up candidates, Murdoch's man stepped forward. "The Sun has always been up for 42 days, or perhaps even 420 days, frankly," said MacKenzie. (More United Kingdom stories.)