Scotsman editor leaves

Hardy, former Daily Mail showbiz editor, cleared her desk today (Weds 19 December) after an allegedly “stormy” meeting with The Scotsman Publications' editor-in-chief Andrew Neil at Edinburgh’s Balmoral Hotel.

She joined the paper as deputy editor from the Mail 20 months ago and became editor when her predessor Tim Luckhurst went off on sick leave almost immediately after his appointment.

Critics attacked her appointment as editor claiming she did not know enough about Scotland’s political arena.

In her time at the paper she has launched the tabloid-sized S2 supplement, came under fire for covering less Scottish news, seen a cut in the cover price, then a rise in cover price, a relaunch of the paper and saw the majority of her business team walk out a week prior to the launch of a business section.

Under Hardy the paper’s circulation rose to an alleged 100,000 plus during the £5m relaunch period but has since slumped back to around 80,000. Unusually the paper saw no significant change in circulation after September 11 this year.

Critics now say Iain Martin will also have a tough time at the paper because he has shown no previous track record in editing and the paper now needs an experienced heavy hitter to help reverse its fortunes.

Martin joined Scotland on Sunday as political editor in 1997, He moved to The Scotsman as assistant editor and political commentator in 2000 before rejoining SOS as deputy editor. Previously he was Scottish news editor at The Sunday Times.

Martin will be The Scotsman’s youngest ever editor at 30.

But Neil hit back at the critics and show faith in Martin saying: “Iain Martin’s proved to be a superb journalist and I am confident he will take The Scotsman to the next stage of its development.”

Stephen Walker, managing director of The Scotsman Publications, was unavailable for comment.

The only correspondence from the newspaper group came via a statement from its PR company.

It is unclear what Hardy’s future role within the company may be. The statement said the company is in discussions with her.

Hardy is not the only member of the editorial management team to have left the paper this year.

Ramsay Smith, the executive editor, left after only six months in the job. He returned to his previous post at Media House International.

Many more junior staff at the paper have also talked about the gloomy atmosphere.

But one insider said: “Things were really bad here for about a year when Hardy first came but it wasn’t really because of her. It didn’t really come out of the blue. A lot of people are happy that she’s gone.

“Some people are pinning their hopes on Iain Martin but it’s not a case of everyone breathing a sigh of relief.”

The source said many people expected the deputy, John Mullen, to be given the job because “he’s very capable”.