The former cabinet minister Michael Gove has been named as the new editor of the Spectator magazine, weeks after the GB News backer Sir Paul Marshall completed a £100m takeover of the politically right-leaning magazine.
Gove, who will take over from Fraser Nelson on 4 October, will be joined by the former Daily Telegraph and Spectator editor Charles Moore who has been named as chair.
Nelson, who joined the Spectator in 2006 and became editor in 2009, said in a blogpost that Gove was his “clear successor” having been tipped as a future editor during his time as a journalist on titles including the Times and as a contributor to the Spectator.
The 57-year-old, who stepped down from parliament at the general election, served in the governments of David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak.
Gove will take up the role after final approval from Acoba, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, although associates believe this will be a formality as he was never involved in sectors such as media regulation while in government.
Moore takes over from Andrew Neil as chair.
Marshall, a hedge fund tycoon who also owns the UnHerd website, is also in the running to buy the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph with the second round bids from prospective buyers due to be submitted by the end of this week.