It’s a sorry day for the Guardian’s dwindling readership as staff vote in overwhelming numbers to strike over plans to offload The Observer to Tortoise Media – a ‘slow news’ startup that can’t even turn a profit in the good times. A staggering 93% of the 600-strong workforce backed strike action, with 96% supporting measures short of a walkout. Not exactly a stampede to board another sinking ship…
Tortoise boss James Harding has spent years pushing his “centrist dad” brand with help from the BBC and other left-wing outlets. Though even Guardian staff aren’t buying into the Observer sale, promising mass walkouts as early as December if the talks aren’t called off. Staff are worried that loyal readers will be left “betrayed” if the paper is sold off to Tortoise, which has already burnt through £16.3 million since it launched in 2018. No doubt panic-stricken progressives will be distraught if press operations do shut down…
UPDATE: Both Guardian and Observer staff will strike on December 4th and 5th.
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”