NUJ newspapers organiser Barry Fitzpatrick, who was closely involved with pay talks and a threatened strike at the Telegraph earlier this year, said that the Barclays were considered to be the best of the ownership options.
He said: “Our members are relieved that this process is finally over and there can be some stability. Of the various options the Barclays were generally viewed as the best – but obviously there’s concern about people like Andrew Neil.”
As publisher of the Barclays’ existing publications, Neil has a reputation as someone who gives his editors a high degree of guidance.
Fitzpatrick said: “The success of the Telegraph is very much based on the team performance of its journalists – any high-handed interference with that would not produce the results that we would all like to see.”
He added: “We are concerned that the high price that has been sought will encourage the new owners to look for cuts that otherwise wouldn’t have been necessary. But we are very pleased to see the back of Conrad Black.”
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