Britain’s media, police and political systems are in a real mess thanks in part to the actions of the News of the World.

For all the rhetoric spouted by senior figures at the News of the World and its parent company, News International, it is ordinary men, women and children who suffer.

Not content with illegally tapping the phones of British soldiers killed on active service, victims of terrorism, and murdered teenagers, or allowing journalists and private investigators to cosy up to politicians and bribe/blackmail police officers — allegedly — the the powers-that-be at News International are now happy to put hundreds of decent journos and workers at News of the World out of a job.

Mr James Murdoch and Ms Rebekah Brooks (among others) should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Perhaps, as Andy Coulson has just discovered, the police will be knocking on their doors in the near future — though I doubt it.

Closing down the News of the World is a token gesture, albeit one tinged with an implicit admission of guilt, which means nothing to anyone but its employees. The Sun (another deplorable tabloid) will simply take its place on Sunday, while News International shifts its attention to taking over BSkyB and monopolising British media.

Police, politicians and media now face difficult times ahead as the trio try to disentangle themselves from one another. And all three establishments have been tarnished. Which individuals and organisations survive, and which will be irrevocably damaged, remains to be seen.

Let’s not be naive here. The News of the World is not the only media outlet to have broken the law. Both tabloid and broadsheet papers have used some dodgy methods to get a story.

Many issues need to be debated in the weeks ahead. How closely should the media get to politicians and the police? How much control should government have over the British press? When is it acceptable, if ever, for the media to break the law to scoop a story? Which stories are public interest and which should remain private?

There has been understandable public outcry over the phone hacking scandals alleged to have been undertaken by the News of the World. It will be interesting to see how this develops over the next few months as police investigations and independent enquiries continue and publish their findings.

I remember the public anger towards paparazzi-style journalists following the death of Princess Diana, with some suggesting that they shouldn’t be allowed to report on her funeral.

There have been plenty of other appalling stories peddled by tabloid newspapers over the years, but in the main they only publish what sells. Public outcry and boycotts are all well and good, but typically they don’t last for long. If they did, titles such as the News of the World, The Sun, The Daily Express and The Daily Mail would fold.

I don’t see the great British public changing its reading or viewing habits. As much as people might like to see the Murdoch empire crumble, they’ll continue to pay their money for a Sky dish in order to be first to watch crappy American drama and overpaid footballers, and get their fix of celebrity trash talk from the tabloids.

Who’s laughing the loudest now? Listen carefully and you may just hear Jimmy and Rupert. They’re immune from reprisals, and now they’ve done their public duty in telling everyone how appalled they are by the scandal they can continue growing their business and raking in the cash.