Enemies of the Nigel | Sunday Times and FT endorse Labour
Plus: NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet will step down after 13 years and we have your news diary for the week ahead
Welcome to your daily newsletter from Press Gazette on Monday 1 July, 2024.
Labour secured two significant new media backers over the weekend as The Sunday Times and Financial Times turned red.
These titles are among Fleet Street's swing voters, having previously backed the Conservatives.
With just a few days of the campaign left, The Sun is the only major title yet to show its hand. As Director of Public Prosecutions Labour leader Keir Starmer conducted what many viewed as a vindictive campaign to prosecute Sun journalists who were involved in paying public officials for stories. So any support for him from The Sun will be through gritted teeth.
But with so few Sun readers likely to vote Conservative I would be surprised to see the title vote for Rishi this week. They will have to come up with some leader page formula that doesn't sit on the fence but reflects the views of the title's audience.
Meanwhile, Reform UK is throwing big money at print and online press advertising as leader Farage announced he was boycotting the BBC over claims of bias. We detail Farage's various campaign media beefs here.
And looking at the news diary for the week ahead, in non-election news we have the return of Wimbledon and the second round of the French parliamentary election.
New from Press Gazette
Enemies of the Nigel: BBC joins growing list of Farage media beefs
Farage’s Reform UK party has taken out full-page adverts in newspapers including The Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail, even as the Mail published a tactical voting guide on how to stop Reform from winning Conservative seats.
General election 2024 press endorsements: Sunday Times and FT back Labour
As do The Guardian, The Observer and The Independent.
NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet to step down after 13 years
Stanistreet became the first woman to lead the union in 2011 following three years as its deputy general secretary. She noted in her email to members on Friday: “My response at the time was that I may have been the first woman elected but I certainly wouldn’t be the last.”
News diary 1 – 7 July: Election day in UK and France, US Supreme Court considers Trump immunity
A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda next week, from the team at Foresight News.
News in brief
Non-profit news organisation The Center for Investigative Reporting, which produces Mother Jones, is suing OpenAI and Microsoft for using its content "without permission or offering compensation". (Press Gazette)
Immediate has named Lily Barclay, former group digital editor of Good Food and Olive, as Good Food's first content director to "grow and develop" the brand. Plus Keith Kendrick has been named editor of the magazine while Janine Ratcliffe will be the new editor of Olive magazine.
BBC broadcaster Stephen Nolan has filed a libel lawsuit against Irish News journalist Rodney Edwards, who said: "While I do feel this is an attempt to intimidate, silence and spook me, it is not going to work.” (Irish News)
Former editor of Open Democracy Peter Geoghegan has launched a bid to raise £30,000 in crowdfunding to support more journalism on his anti-corruption, Substack-based publication Democracy for Sale. (Democracy for Sale)
Previously on Press Gazette
Sky’s Sam Coates reveals his election formula: 18-hour days, power naps and gallons of Huel
Savills pays copyright bill for PR image after Press Gazette coverage
Harry ordered to explain loss of messages with ghostwriter that may be relevant to Sun legal case
Health Service Journal sold by Wilmington to private equity firm in £26m deal
‘Enemies of accurate, prescient journalism?’ Geordie Greig hits out at Mail and Telegraph
‘So many damn follow-up emails’: Jay Rayner tells PRs to stop ‘driving me nuts’
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