Has the Sun dropped page 3 topless pictures?

The newspaper has not published a topless page 3 picture since Friday and has refused to confirm or deny the reports in the Times, which says “The Sun will no longer feature topless models on page 3 after quietly droping on of the most controversial traditions in British journalism”.

But the Sun and the Times are part of the Murdoch-owned News UK stable of publications.

Campaigners on Tuesday were hopeful that they had finally persuaded the tabloid to drop the feature.

Page 3 will be in @TheSunNewspaper tomorrow in the same place it’s always been – between page 2 and page 4.

— Dylan Sharpe (@dylsharpe) January 19, 2015

The No More Page 3 protest group wrote a message on its Facebook page which read: “We don’t know the details for sure and there’s still lots to be done. But this could be a huge step for challenging media sexism. And we are so incredibly grateful to all of you who stood up and said No More Page 3.”

Who else is wearing their T-shirt with pride today? pic.twitter.com/soI58qsWWC

— NoMorePage3 (@NoMorePage3) January 20, 2015

News Corp boss Rupert Murdoch asked his Twitter followers for their opinion on the issue last year. He wrote: “Aren’t beautiful young women more attractive in at least some fashionable clothes?”

He went on: “Brit feminists bang on forever about page 3. I bet never buy paper. I think old fashioned but readers seem to disagree.”