Big changes at Britain’s biggest selling daily newspaper.
Tom Newton-Dunn is, as was widely anticipated, off to Times Radio.
Scoop-meister Harry Cole returns to the paper as the new political editor of The Sun.
This of course means the Mail on Sunday is now looking for a deputy political editor…
Despite the many problems flagged up about the government’s COVID-19 app, figures passed to Guido show uptake among those living on the Isle of Wight has been impressive, with 29,000 Islanders already downloading the app in the three days since it became available. Despite the large uptake, the app – which provides a number to call to request a test if it deems the user needs one – has so far referred only 28 requested tests.
The speedy uptake comes amid continued farce over questions around the app’s functionality. Last night The Sun told readers “Apple have loosened restrictions on its software” so the government’s app will be able to constantly run in the background of users’ phones. The story immediately raised suspicions given the very out-of-character move for famously privacy-driven Apple. Soon after, Apple told journalist James O’Malley The Sun’s story “is wrong and being corrected. There is no special API, no arrangement or special treatment.”.
One last update. Apple says that the NHS “100%” has to follow the same rules as every other app - and notes that the app has already been approved as is in the App Store.
— James O'Malley (@Psythor) May 6, 2020
So either NHSX has done something pretty extraordinary (maybe!) OR the app contains a fairly massive flaw.
There’s clearly keenness from Islanders to download the app, though potential battery drain and being forced to keep re-opening the app to keep it running is still a problem…
The Sun spent a full 16+ hour day with the PM on the campaign trail, in a documentary rather similar to their old ‘A Day in the Life of David Cameron’. Naturally, this time there weren’t any candid scenes with the family…
In what is a new speed record for the Guido Fawkes School of Applied Journalism, after just 2 weeks here The Sun has poached Steven Edginton to beef up their video output. We wish Steven well, they must have made him an offer he could not refuse to entice him to break his contract. We are as a consequence, hiring. If you have video editing skills and are ambitious email paul@order-order.com…
UPDATE 25 July 2020: We are still looking for someone, the person we delayed making a formal offer to because the office was closed due to Covid, was pinched by Fraser Nelson and the fool has now gone to work at the Spectator. If you were interviewed before feel free to re-apply.
PoliticsHome had an “exclusive” investigation this morning into the vast sums splurged on targeted Facebook ads by Dom Raab’s unsuccessful leadership bid. As Guido suspected at the time, he was targeting the wrong audience during the MPs’ phase…
One problem with this exclusive story, The Sun already had it as an “exclusive” two and a half weeks ago on 19th June. That’s not all, a full eight days before The Sun ran it the story was actually broken by the BBC’s Joey D’Urso on 11th June, ironically the one person who didn’t plaster “exclusive” all over it. Exclusive to all news outlets everywhere…
Richard Burgon has won his libel case against The Sun for an article which claimed that his heavy metal band used “Nazi imagery”. A “delighted” Burgon has been awarded a healthy £30,000 in damages. Burgon says he will use it to fund a paid justice internship for a young person from Leeds…
The Sun have put out a statement saying they are “deeply disappointed” by the judgement and are planning to appeal:
