Michael Gove to be new Spectator editor
Former Conservative cabinet minister Michael Gove has been appointed as the new editor of The Spectator.
Mr Gove, who stepped down from Parliament at the general election, will become the magazine’s new editor at the start of next month, and is “perfectly suited to the role”, according to Freddie Sayers, publisher of The Spectator and the chief executive of new owner OQS.
Mr Gove – who served in the governments of David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak – was a journalist before he became an MP.
We have some major announcements today here at The Spectator.
Fraser Nelson is to step down as Editor, after 15 incredibly successful years. He leaves the magazine modernised, digitised and with more readers than ever before. I am delighted to say he will continue to write for…
— Freddie Sayers (@freddiesayers) September 25, 2024
His will take up the job after final approval from Acoba, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.
Acoba indicated later on Wednesday that it does not believe the appointment will “raise any particular concerns under the Government’s rules”.
But it added: “The committee reminds you that it is your responsibility to manage the propriety of any work undertaken with The Spectator.
“In particular, as a former Cabinet minister, you must be careful not to offer any unfair insight as a result of your access to information and potential influence in government – which the conditions below seek to mitigate.”
Mr Gove is expected to take the role from October 4, after completing a three-month waiting period since last being a Cabinet minister.
The position is currently held by Fraser Nelson, who will step down “after 15 incredibly successful years”, Mr Sayers said in a message posted on X.
Mr Nelson will “continue to write for The Spectator and will become Associate Editor”, Mr Sayers said.
Earlier this month, it was confirmed that the magazine had been bought by GB-News backer Sir Paul Marshall for £100 million.
The Spectator is one of the world’s oldest politics and current affairs magazines, established in 1828 in London’s Old Queen Street.
In a statement this afternoon, Mr Sayers said that the job of editor of The Spectator “requires a rare breadth of intellectual interests and depth of journalistic experience”.
“Alongside his political and journalistic nous, Michael brings a love of books, philosophy, art, opera — and a mischievous sense of humour. He is perfectly suited to this role, and I can’t wait to work together to bring The Spectator to new audiences,” he added.
Mr Nelson described Mr Gove as “the obvious successor” to the role.
“His experience, combined with his journalistic skills and the quality of the team around him, will make for quite a potent combination,” Mr Nelson added.
