24/09/2007

On Friday, Spike was reporting that the Sunday Mail was about to appoint a new political editor; yesterday, the Sunday Herald was reporting that the previous Sunday Mail political editor was leaving his post.

The new political editor is to be Mark Aitken, a political reporter at the Scottish Daily Mail. But his predecessor, Brian Lironi, is said to be quitting the post of Scottish Labour head of communications - just a week after the elevation, as leader, of Wendy Alexander.

Writes Scottish political editor, Paul Hutcheon: “Lironi, an award-winning journalist, was headhunted by the party two months ago for the high-profile post. But the Sunday Herald understands he became disillusioned after his job description changed when Alexander succeeded the former first minister, Jack McConnell, earlier this month. Lironi was also said to have become weary at Alexander's ‘around-the-clock, seven-days-a-week’ demands. It is also understood he had difficulties with other members of her inner circle.”

Adds Hutcheon: “Lironi was then incensed when, as revealed in the Sunday Herald last week, Labour MSP George Foulkes described him as an ‘idiot’. He subsequently signed off on sick leave and has since decided he has no future as the party's head of communications.”

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