Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre is to leave the role after 26 years, taking up the position of Chairman of Associated Newspapers.
Paul Dacre has confirmed that he will be stepping down from the role of editor of the Daily Mail after 26 years in charge.
He said that he wanted to take a step back from day-to-day editing duties at the Associated Newspapers owned title before his 70th birthday, which is in November.
Opinion has already come from some big names in British media and politics, with former Labour spin doctor Alistair Campbell tweeting “good riddance”.
Dacre retires to spend more time with his EU grants on his Scottish estate and bronzing his corpulent frame in his fourth home in the British Virgin Islands. Worst of British values posing as the best. Malign influence on media culture. Good riddance xx
— Alastair Campbell (@campbellclaret) June 6, 2018
LBC presenter James O’Brien was similarly critical, calling Dacre’s decision “characteristically, pathetic”.
It’s absolutely, but characteristically, pathetic that Dacre is heading for the hills before the reality of the disastrous, impoverishing, enfeebling Brexit he did more than anyone to deliver become undeniable. Also, I’m going to have to rewrite a couple of chapters of my book.
— James O’Brien (@mrjamesob) June 6, 2018
Associated Newspapers confirmed that he will become Chairman of the company, and its editor-in-chief.
The current chairman of the company praised Dacre’s leadership at the Daily Mail and London’s Evening Standard, saying; “Paul is, quite simply, the greatest Fleet Street editor of his generation not only for his huge circulation successes on both the Mail and Standard but also for the sheer power of his many campaigns, investigations and crusades that have held power to account, given a voice to the voiceless and often set the political agenda through six prime ministerships.
“He has done this while working tirelessly to defend press freedom to the benefit of our whole industry.”