Guarded optimism at the New Statesman is giving way to mild trepidation as incoming editor Tom McTague – who takes the helm after a stint as political editor at right wing “hot takes” site Unherd – announced the appointment of his deputy.
The deputy role at a news magazine is a crucial one: they tend to do most of the editing legwork and typically are strong where the editor is weaker – if the editor comes from news, the deputy generally comes from culture. Ideally, they have somewhat different politics.
McTague has announced Will Lloyd as his deputy. Lloyd is regarded as talented and affable, but the similarities between the two men are hard to miss. Both are white, middle class men. Both have recently worked at Unherd – at a time when readers complain the Statesman is moving swiftly right – and both come from the news pages. Neither has much, if any, actual management experience.
Contributors are still hopeful a new editor can revitalise the magazine – but if rumours of a third hire in a very similar mould pan out, that mood could sour very quickly indeed.
