End of an era as political pair prepare to step down

TWO giants of the Scottish political scene are stepping down after over 30 years as journalists with their respective employers.

Joe Quinn has been Scottish political editor for the Press Association for just short of ten years, having been with the organisation for almost 35 years, after joining from a press agency in his home city of Birmingham.

Meanwhile, the Daily Record’s deputy political editor, Dave King, has been with the paper for nearly 32 years, initially as a news and then industrial reporter. He’s been doing politics for the Daily Record since 1987.

Quinn was the PA’s chief Scotland correspondent before taking on the politics brief.

King was convener of the Scottish Parliamentary Journalists’ Association when it famously boycotted the bar at the Scottish Parliament, for two years – in protest at a condition, now no longer required, that journalists be first accompanied by a MSP.

Both are taking redundancy packages. They intend having a joint leaving party soon. King officially leaves on the 31st of this month; Quinn at the start of next month.