Gilson for Belfast?

SPECULATION is mounting that the Belfast Telegraph is to appoint former Scotsman editor, Mike Gilson, as its new editor.

Gilson suddenly departed The Scotsman in February ahead of a major reshuffle of personnel that saw John McLellan made Scotsman editor and editor-in-chief of The Scotsman and sister titles, Scotland on Sunday and the Edinburgh Evening News, – being led by Ian Stewart and Tom Little, respectively.

He had been appointed from the Portsmouth News, where his family continued to live during his time at the Edinburgh title.

On Friday, Martin Lindsay retired from the Belfast Telegraph after 47 years with the paper, four as editor.

A PR company acting on behalf of the Belfast Telegraph said the identity of Lindsay’s successor would likely be revealed within the next couple of days.

Among those speculating is the Northern Ireland politics and culture blog, Slugger O’Toole.