Yesterday it emerged that longstanding Observer writer Carole Cadwalladr would not get her contract renewed as James Harding’s Tortoise Media takes over the paper. Cadwalladr was a leading figure in the large strike against the sale…
Last week, the new owners of the Observer wrote to tell me they would *not* be issuing me with a new contract.
So…I want to say publicly that it was an absolute privilege to speak on behalf of my Observer colleagues during our strike. I don’t regret doing so. And I learned so… https://t.co/MbaWUKg05w
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) February 25, 2025
The title will operationally pass to the new owners on 20 April this year. Carole says “it’s been the journalistic job of my dreams” and that “I felt sad about leaving my perch in a global news org but now I’m energised by the challenge ahead.” Thankfully Carole will still be around on her Substack: ‘How to Survive the Broligarchy‘…
Cadwalladr is also starting a podcast along with other media projects which she says are “the chance to respond to this extraordinary crisis with something new.” Guido wishes her well…
Tom Baldwin, author of Starmer’s hagiography, spoke to Times Radio:
Tom Baldwin: “I think he’d like to do something. He’s very dutiful and driven by service. That’s why he came into politics. I think that’s characterised his time as prime minister. He hasn’t always sought popularity or been good at being popular. But I think he has some of the necessary qualities that we actually do want in a prime minister. That resilience, that relentlessness, that ability to carry the weight and the job really does weigh very heavily on people and he carries that weight very, very well.”
Jo Coburn: “NATO Secretary-General?”
Tom Baldwin: “I think that’s something that he would be interested in. I think it probably requires Andy Burnham’s government to support him in that and these are some of the questions which Andy Burnham has to resolve quite quickly.”