Boycott’s departure comes two months after the newspaper group was sold by United News & Media to OK! publisher Northern & Shell. It is understood that Boycott and the paper’s new proprietor failed to find common ground on key issues of staffing and editorial management.
Boycott, accompanied by her deputy Chris Blackhurst, left the newspaper yesterday with a pay-off believed to be in the region of £200,000. Boycott had been editor of the mid-market tabloid for two years and was responsible for shifting the title’s political bias from right-leaning to centre left.
She is a self-confessed feminist and was the first female editor of a daily national UK newspaper when she took over at The Independent, prior to joining the Express.
One of Williams’ first tasks as editor will be to help Northern & Shell shed a further 200 jobs as part of a cost-saving exercise. The cuts are understood to be one of the main reasons behind Boycott’s departure.
Williams first joined the Express in 1977 where he worked for 10 years, rising to the position of features editor. He then joined the Daily Mail, where he was also features editor. He rejoined the Daily Express in 1995 as executive editor.