Former Telegraph diary writer Tim Walker has said that the UK’s right of centre newspapers have become “boring and predictable” since the EU referendum.
Walker spoke to Press Gazette ahead of the launch of a new general election diary called The Heckler which he is writing for the Daily Mirror from tomorrow.
He said: “Newspapers who were traditionally quite tolerant and allowed opposing views aren’t allowing it now. It means the journalism can seem quite boring and predictable.
“Papers like the Telegraph and the Mail had a great tradition of allowing opposing views and that just isn’t happening.
“The right wing papers aren’t allowing any dissent on the issue of Brexit.”
Walker, who was diary editor of the Daily Telegraph for 12 years, wrote a Heckler column for the Mirror during the 2015 election campaign.
He said: “There haven’t been a lot of laughs during this campaign, but I hope to be able to rectify that.”
Talking about the issue of Brexit in particular, he said: “Since the 2015 election, too many papers have very obviously been championing the interests of their proprietors, rather than their readers. Friends on these papers keep telling me how disillusioned they are and some are actually quitting the trade.
“It’s very sad. The Mirror, in contrast, has stayed true to its readers. Everyone on the paper will be able to look back on this period in its history with great pride.”
Since leaving the Telegraph in 2014, Walker has had a stint working on the Mail on Sunday – where he broke the news that Rupert Murdoch was dating Jerry Hall.
He also worked for pro Remain campaigner Gina Miller on her media strategy.
The Evening Standard reported that he had been in talks with Sir David Barclay, the Daily Telegraph owner, about writing a biography of him and his twin brother, Sir Frederick.
Walker said: “We were getting along famously until Brexit came along. I wouldn’t advise you to hold your breath waiting for that book.”
